Avalanche forecast

Ogden

Issued Mar 5, 2023valid to Mar 6, 2023Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger is HIGH across all mid and upper-elevation slopes. Traveling in avalanche terrain is NOT recommended. Here natural avalanches are likely, and human-triggered avalanches are very likely. Remember that avalanches can run long distances, so avoid being on or underneath any avalanche path.

Avalanche problems

Storm Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Very Likely
Size
4
The past 24 hrs of heavy snowfall has overloaded all aspects and elevations, and if you were sitting in the mountains right now, you'd hear the avalanches roar. I've already received text messages letting me know an active avalanche cycle is happening as I type this.

Today will be a day to head to low-angle slopes (less than 30° degrees) and avoid being on or below any avalanche path as avalanches can run fast and far today. Traveling in avalanche terrain is NOT recommended.

Avalanches can also break down deeper into a variety of relatively "weaker" layers in the snowpack. I would advise taking a giant step back today and letting the mountains adjust to the recent storm snow.
Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Very Likely
Size
4
Yesterday's strong southwest winds overloaded many slopes, creating stiff, hard slabs of wind-blown snow. These hard slabs will now be buried with 1-3 feet of new snow this morning. Any new snow (storm slab) avalanche triggered can pull out a deeper, harder slab below, making a much larger and more dangerous avalanche.

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Recent Activity

We had one avalanche reported from Cutler Ridge yesterday that was large enough to break some tree branches. It was skier triggered on a NE facing slope at 8,000 feet. The avalanche was 10 inches deep, 70 feet wide, and ran 100 vertical feet. Yesterday in the Wasatch range, avalanche activity revolved around the strong southerly winds blowing and drifting snow into dense slabs (wind slabs) that were mainly 10-20 inches deep and up to 125' wide. Out of the ten reported avalanches, the most impressive was from Days Fork and Broads Fork. In Days Fork, a cornice failed naturally and triggered a hard slab roughly 2-3 feet deep and 150 feet wide.

In Broads Fork, a natural glide avalanche failed roughly 10 feet deep and 125 feet wide, running to the valley bottom. This avalanche would have ruined anyone's day, and luckily it happened when no one was around. Be sure to read all the observations and recent avalanche activity HERE.

Photos: Starting left and going clockwise. Whitepine / Broads Fork / Ben Lomond.

Snow and Weather

What a storm! Overnight totals are roughly 10-15 inches (0.90-1.60 water) of new snow across much of the range. Winds blow west-southwest at 15-25 mph gusting into the 30s & 40s. Mountain temperatures range from 10-20 °F.

This morning under a Winter Weather Advisory, it will continue to snow into the late morning hours with an additional 2-4 inches of snow before tapering off and becoming more showery this afternoon. We might even see some sunshine if you're in the right spot. Temperatures will climb into the low to mid-20s °F. Winds will begin to back to the southwest around lunchtime and blow 10-20 mph, gusting into the 20s and 30s ahead of yet another storm this evening into Monday, where we could see 10-18 inches of new snow once again.

General Announcements

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This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

Observations and Avalanches

Backcountry Emergency Procedures