Avalanche forecast

Ogden

Utah Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 9 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Most terrain is either at LOW or no avalanche danger simply because there isn’t enough snow. However, MODERATE avalanche danger exists on W-N-E slopes above, conservatively, 8000 feet, where you can trigger small slabs on top of a thin, faceted base. You can trigger shallow slabs or loose dry avalanches that gouge down to the ground. The thin ground coverage remains a notable hazard.

Avalanche danger will be on the rise overnight and through the weekend.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Early-season snowfall from October and November melted off in most places but lingered on W-N-E slopes above ~8000 feet. That old snow has since faceted and now forms the weak base of our developing snowpack.

    Today, you could trigger a small slab avalanche where wind drifted additional snow into a cohesive slab, or a loose-dry avalanche in more sheltered terrain that gouges to the ground. Either type could bury you in a terrain trap or take you on a nasty ride.

    Over the next few days, expect the avalanche size to grow and the likelihood to increase.

    Shepherd McClellan documented this structure in the Ben Lomond area earlier this week. View their observation here.

Special Announcement

This week is Avalanche Awareness Week. Events are happening daily across the state to prepare you for winter and get you thinking about avalanche safety.

  • Tonight: 12/4 - Ogden Avalanche Backcountry Bash at The Monarch - 6 pm
  • Saturday: 12/6- The Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop with in-person and virtual tickets still available

Find out about all our events HERE.

Recent Activity

No recent avalanches were reported in the Ogden area mountains, but further south near Alta, Pro-observer Mark White remotely triggered a soft slab avalanche on a northeast-facing slope at 10,400 feet. The avalanche broke 12 inches deep and 30 feet wide. View his full observation here. A similar avalanche could be triggered in the Northern Wasatch, especially where wind has drifted snow into a cohesive slab.

Snow and Weather

This morning, trailhead temperatures are in the 20s ˚ Fahrenheit, and upper elevations are 10˚ -15˚ Fahrenheit. Winds at blowing from the W at 10-25 mph at 9500 feet. A trace to an inch fell yesterday.

Today, skies will be mostly clear with some low clouds obscuring peaks early in the morning that should burn off by late morning. Temperatures rise into the low to mid 20˚ Fahrenheit. Winds will be from the WNW at 9000 feet, will be light 5-10 mph, and 20-30 mph along the upper elevation ridgelines. We may see an increase in winds late this afternoon as the storm approaches from the northwest.

This weekend, a significant winter storm moves in late tonight through the weekend with 1 to 2 feet of snow expected. The wet and windy storm favors Northern Utah and locations with a WNW flow. Expect the rain/snow line to rise through Saturday morning to ~7500 feet before the cold front arrives Saturday afternoon. Avalanche danger will quickly rise as snow accumulates.

Our partners are the National Weather Service in SLC have issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Wasatch and Western Uinta Mountains from late tonight through late Saturday night in anticipation of a prolonged period of heavy snowfall.

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.

Regions covered