Avalanche forecast

Ogden

Utah Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The Ogden area mountains have a LOW avalanche danger. Even though avalanche conditions are generally safe, watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features where shallow wind drifts could produce small slab avalanches. These locations should be easy to see and avoid.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Although there isn't much low density snow for winds to easily transport, watch out for some wind-drifted snow at upper elevations. Today's increased southerly winds may have formed shallow slabs that could produce small avalanches. There is a layer of graupel snow (looks like hail) about a foot deep that could cause these wind slabs to break a bit deeper. However, in most places where you could find a wind slab I don't think this graupel layer is very thick. Graupel tends to roll downhill and pool where slope angles lessen.

    Video: Doug Wewer and Brian Smith looking at the graupel layer.

Recent Activity

No avalanches were reported in the Ogden area mountains.

There was a skier triggered slide in Mill Creek Canyon on Saturday near SLC that is worth reading about.

Snow and Weather

The inversion continues this morning with colder temperatures at low elevations and warmer temperatures at higher elevations (photo above of Ogden Valley by D. Wewer). Temperatures at some trailhead elevations are in the mid teens and low 20's F while at 9000 ft temperatures are in the upper 20's F. Winds this morning above 9000 ft are averaging 15-20 mph gusting 25-35 mph from the S.

Today will have more sunshine and temperatures in the upper 30s F. Winds could increase a little more this afternoon as a weak storm system approaches and the ridge of high pressure moves east. This storm system will not deliver any measurable snow but should help improve valley air quality.

The snow surface has been getting warm and even a little damp on south facing slopes. It remains dry powder on shaded slopes, and some people have been finding a little bit of faceting (weakening) in the surface snow as well as some surface hoar growth (essentially frost on top of the snow). For now this faceting and surface hoar growth improves the riding conditions. In some places on Saturday morning a rime crust formed on the snow surface.

Photo of sparkling surface hoar in the Monte Cristo area (M. Fogg).

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.

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