Avalanche forecast

Logan

Utah Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline
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Highlights

This weekend and today, the warmest temperatures of the year will cause dangerous avalanche conditions and CONSIDERABLE danger on many backcountry slopes steeper than 30°. In northerly facing terrain, people could trigger dangerous slab avalanches, up to two feet deep and a couple hundred feet wide, failing on a buried persistent weak layer of faceted snow. Natural and human triggered loose wet avalanches are likely at all elevations, and wet slab avalanches are becoming more possible with the heat. *Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision making are essential for safe backcountry travel.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2

    On slopes facing the north half of the compass, in some areas, it is possible to trigger slab avalanches failing on a sugary, buried persistent weak layer. These days there are few telltale signs of instability or apparent red flags, like cracking or collapsing. Today's warming temperatures could cause increasing instability on slopes plagued by this buried persistent weak layer. The warming will soften existing slabs and crust layers, and increase creep and glide rates, which could cause natural avalanches to become more possible and triggered avalanches more likely.

    • In some areas, avalanches still might be triggered remotely or from a distance.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2

    With very warm daytime temperatures and mild nights forecast through the weekend, expect the danger of loose wet and wet slab avalanches to increase.

    Temperatures overnight did not drop below freezing in the mountains, but the clear skies cooled and superficially hardened the snow surface. It will be way too hot, well above average again today, and the high March sun will feel hot. If the snow surface becomes damp or unsupportable, it's time to head home, change aspect or move to lower angle terrain. Watch for signs of warming-related instability like rollerballs, pinwheels, or sluffs of saturated surface snow. Just like a spilled 7/11 Slushy, wet or damp snow is generally unstable on steep slopes. The potential for dangerous wet slab activity will increase as day and night temperatures continue increase this weekend.

Special Announcement

Two generous UAC supporters are challenging the community to invest in the future of the UAC’s forecasting program during the 2022 Spring Campaign. They will match your donation, dollar for dollar, up to $10,000. Donate today to support avalanche forecasting!..... HERE

Recent Activity

  • A reported large avalanche occurred earlier in the week in Steam Mill Canyon on a steep northeast facing slope at 9600'. The trigger is unknown but the avalanche measured approximately 2' deep and 900' wide. It failed on the same widespread, buried persistent weak layer. Report is HERE.
  • Last weekend people triggered a handful of dangerous slab avalanches that failed on our widespread buried persistent weak layer consisting of loose, sugary faceted snow.

A rider was mostly buried and he and his bent and broken sled had to be excavated by companions in an avalanche accident Sunday in Crescent Lake Canyon, in the Franklin Basin area just south of the Idaho state line.

Check out all the recent backcountry observations and many recent avalanche reports from across Utah HERE.

Snow and Weather

Dangerous avalanche conditions exist and there are areas with unstable snow mainly on northerly facing upper and mid-elevation slopes. Weak sugary faceted snow still exists on northerly facing slopes creating poor snow structure, and people could trigger avalanches if they venture into this terrain today. Today's even warmer temperatures will cause an increasing danger for wet avalanches at all elevations.

Although the snow is damp and it's easy to overheat the engine, riding conditions are still pretty good. You might still find pockets of dry soft snow in high north-facing terrain today, but in most areas, it's spring-like with mostly supportable, damp snow.

The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports 39°F, and there is 66 inches of total snow at the site, containing 80% of normal SWE for the date. West winds are blowing around 20 mph at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, where it is 35°F this morning.

  • Today expect sunny and very warm conditions, with high temperatures at 8500' around 53°F, and 15-20 mph west winds.
  • It will be partly cloudy tonight, with low temperatures near 35 F, and 15 to 18 mph west-southwest winds.
  • It will be mostly sunny and VERY WARM again tomorrow, with high temperatures around 57°F and 14 to 18 mph wind from the west-southwest.
  • Expect very warm days and nights through the weekend.

Additional Info

  • Now is a great time to practice your avalanche rescue skills. Thanks to the generous support of Northstar, the Franklin Basin Beacon Training Park is up and running. The park is located directly west of the parking lot and is open for anyone to use. All you need is your beacon and probe. Please do not dig up the transmitters.
  • Always follow safe backcountry travel protocols. Go one person at a time in avalanche terrain, while the rest of your party watches from a safe area. (practice anytime while traveling on or under backcountry slopes steeper than 30°)
  • Check your avalanche rescue equipment, change your batteries, and practice often with your backcountry partners. Check slope angles, and to avoid avalanche terrain stay off of and out from under slopes steeper than 30° and adjacent slopes. Video Here

General Announcements

Special thank you to Polaris and Northstar...Video Here

Who's up for some free avalanche training? Get a refresher, become better prepared for an upcoming avalanche class, or just boost your skills. Go to https://learn.kbyg.org/ and scroll down to Step 2 for a series of interactive online avalanche courses produced by the UAC.

  • Please submit your observations from the backcountry HERE.

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.

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