Avalanche forecast

Ogden

Issued Mar 3, 2025valid to Mar 4, 2025Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired last year. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger is MODERATE on upper elevation slopes where you may encounter fresh wind drifts. Otherwise, you will find generally LOW danger. At lower elevations where the snow has not had a solid refreeze, the possibility of small, wet snow avalanches, cannot be ruled out.

In areas with a shallower snowpack such as the southern part of the forecast area, it may still be possible to trigger an avalanche failing on the buried persistent weak layer, that is 1-3 feet deep.

Avalanche problems

Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
2
Winds picked up overnight and will shift, starting to blowing from the north and northwest. These northerly slopes have some dry snow that can be blown around. This combined with fresh snow from today may form shallow wind drifts in upper elevation terrain.

Any wind drift that forms will have either a slick melt freeze crust, or recrystallized snow as a bed surface. This could make for sensitive pockets of wind drifted snow.
Loose Wet
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
1
While upper elevations have finally cooled down, many lower elevation areas did not receive a solid refreeze. Given the forecasted warm temperatures, I would not rule out wet snow avalanches at lower elevations, where the snow has remained saturated from our period of above-freezing temperatures.
Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Unlikely
Size
2
This avalanche problem is on the home stretch of becoming dormant throughout the range. However, shallower areas, like the Bountiful Sessions area, still remain a concern. In deeper areas, where the snowpack is 6-10 feet deep, this is less of a concern.

If you plan to approach upper elevation northerly terrain, check the snow depth (probing) and structure (snowpit) before engaging. Trent has a helpful video from a couple of days ago illustrating this problem—watch below.

Special Announcement

Today's guest forecast is written by guest Joey Manship, the Utah Avalanche Centers Motorized Program Coordinator.

We are excited to announce the launch of our new mobile application available on both Android and IOS. Get all the information you need to plan your backcountry adventure and keep the information at the tip of your fingers while you are out. Install the Android version here and the IOS version here.

Join the UAC on Thursday, March 6th at Brewvies in Salt Lake for friends, drinks, prizes, and an action-packed film! Alpine Assassins is a movie about incredible backcountry sledding and adventure. Doors open at 6:30 PM. Get your tickets here.

Recent Activity

We headed in the Hells Canyon area to take a look at the snow. View our findings HERE.

View all other recent observations HERE.

Snow and Weather

Yesterday: Snow was a mixed bag, with some soft, cold snow in high, sheltered, north-facing terrain. Everywhere else had been affected by the sun and warm temperatures, resulting in conditions that were either hot or had a melt-freeze crust.

Currently: Temperatures have started to drop slightly, with trailheads sitting around 32°F and ridgelines around 25°F. Winds at the ridgelines are blowing from the southwest at 10-20 MPH, with gusts in the 30 MPH range. Winds at trailheads are generally light, sometimes approaching 10 MPH. There was no precipitation overnight.

For today: Expect temperatures at upper elevations to rise into the upper 20s and low 30s. At mid and lower elevations, temperatures will rise to around 40°F. Winds will shift throughout the day, starting to blow from the northwest and north. Expect periods of light precipitation, with the possibility that upper elevations may pick up 1-3 inches of snow. At trailheads, this will likely fall as rain.

Moving forward: This storm will push through tonight into Tuesday morning before high pressure builds again. If we're lucky, we could see a couple of inches by tomorrow. The next chance for snow will be later this week.

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