Avalanche forecast

Ogden

Issued Dec 22, 2025valid to Dec 23, 2025Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

A MODERATE avalanche danger exists on high W-N-E facing slopes, where you can trigger a shallow slab of wind-drifted snow, or a deeper slab avalanche on a persistent weak layer. These are most likely in upper elevation areas where the wind has drifted snow into denser slabs. You are unlikely to receive any warning signs—like cracking or collapsing—before triggering a slide.

If cloud cover and temperatures pan out as forecast, be aware of how wet the snow surface is becoming under your feet, as there is a potential for wet, loose avalanches.

Avalanche problems

Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
1
Moderate to strong southwest winds have been blowing for several days. While there hasn't been a ton of snow available for transport in the Ogden zone, drifts at higher elevations are still out there.

These winds have been effective at building drifts of snow adjacent to ridgelines, as well as on wind-exposed mid-slope features such as gullies, rolls, and rock bands. Be on the lookout for a change in density of the snow you're traveling through: if the surface snow is suddenly deeper or stiffer, you've likely found a wind-loaded area. This will be most common on upper W-N-SE aspects, but wind-exposed mid-elevation terrain isn't out of the question.

Wind-drifted snow avalanches will be effective triggers for releasing a deeper, larger avalanche on our persistent weak layer (see below).
Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
2
A strong over weak snowpack structure persists, with old, weak snow near the ground and at the middle of the snowpack.

The snowpack has handled the modest stress of the past week well, even with warm temperatures and small amounts of snowfall. Still, the structure persists. While coverage and access remains a crux, the terrain with the most appealing snow coverage to ride—higher, steep, northerly wind-loaded terrain—is where you're most likely to trigger an avalanche. We haven't gotten much feedback—cracking or collapsing—from the snowpack in over a week. However, a quiet snowpack isn't always a stable one.

Derek DeBruin illustrates the snowpack structure in the Lewis Peak area on the 18th.

Recent Activity

There were no reported avalanches yesterday in the Ogden zone. Cracking, collapsing, and propagating extended column tests continue to be reported. Find all recent observations HERE.

Snow and Weather

This morning, it's 43°F at Powder Mountain. Mountain temperatures hover in the mid 30s to low 40s F. While Mt. Ogden unsurprisingly is registering consistent SW winds in the mid 40s mph, the top of Strawberry is blowing into the low 30s mph, with gusts reaching over 50mph.

Today, expect moderate to strong winds out of the south to continue into the evening. High cloud cover and temperatures into the high 30s to low 40s F have the potential for some more greenhousing of the snowpack. There's a chance of a trace amount of precip today, but you won't find me in Gore-tex.

Looking ahead, there's a closed low (cyclone) that is heading for us off the Pacific, though it won't be arriving until closer to Christmas. Models have trended towards downgrading the precipitation and increasing the temperatures as the system makes its way towards us, but 'tis the season for a miracle. Jim Steenburgh offers better speculation than I ever could in his "What are the Prospects for a Christmas Miracle?" blog post.

We feel it important to acknowledge that many low elevation slopes in the Ogden zone do not have enough (if any) snow to be home to any sort of avalanche problem.

General Announcements

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