The danger remains LOW on most slopes in the Logan Zone. However, areas with MODERATE danger exist, and people could trigger shallow avalanches of wind drifted snow on some steep upper elevation slopes. Also, solar warming during the day will create heightened wet loose avalanche conditions, and small avalanches of moist new snow running on a slick crust are possible.
Shallow avalanches of wind drifted snow are possible for people to trigger on some steep upper elevation slopes.
Solar warming will cause the shallow fresh snow to become moist, sticky, and prone to avalanching in sunny steep terrain. Wet loose avalanches or sluffs will become possible fairly quickly in steep terrain at all elevations today as the strong March sun makes the new snow moist. Roller balls, pinwheels, and naturally occurring sluffs indicate potential for wet avalanche activity.
No significant avalanches were reported in the Logan Zone recently.
It's 12°F this morning at the 8400' Tony Grove Snotel, and about 5 inches of snow fell yesterday with 0.4" Snow Water Equivalent. There is 87 inches of total snow, containing 115% of normal SWE. It's 7°F at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, and northwest winds picked up a bit early this morning and are now blowing around 20 mph. Drifting from this morning's northwest winds may create pockets of heightened conditions on upper elevation slopes, and it is possible people could trigger shallow avalanches of wind drifted snow. Solar warming will probably create heightened loose wet avalanche conditions in steep sunny terrain, and shallow avalanches of moist new snow running on a slick melt-freeze crust are possible.
Yesterday's new snow fell on a variety of crusts and warm surface snow, and it has created areas with heightened avalanche conditions in the Logan Zone, including in the Wellsville Range.
Expect sunny conditions today, 8500' high temperatures will be around 26°F, and 10 to 17 mph northwest winds will create wind chill values as low as -5°F. We'll see increasing clouds tonight, with a low temperature around 9°F, west-northwest wind 11 to 18 mph, and wind chill values as low as -10°F. It will be mostly cloudy tomorrow with a chance of snow showers. High temperatures will be around 29°F, and 13 to 16 mph west-northwest wind. High pressure will build back into the area for the middle part of the week and we'll see a fairly dramatic increase in mountain temperatures. It looks like a storm is brewing and the next good chance for snow will come over the coming weekend.
A cross country skier was charged and trampled by a moose in upper Green Canyon earlier this week, resulting in a very shaken skier and a broken ski pole. The big guys are out and about, and they can be grumpy this time of year. People and dogs need to yield the packed trail to the moose and give them lots of room.
The UAC's Avy Awareness Auction is currently underway with tons of great gear, jewelry, artwork and experiences available. Visit the auction page HERE to help support the UAC's spring avalanche awareness and outreach efforts.
Thanks to the generous support of our Utah ski resorts and Ski Utah, we have discount lift tickets available. All proceeds from these go towards paying for avalanche forecasting and education! Get your tickets HERE.
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This forecast is from the USDA Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. The forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
I will update this forecast before about 7:30 Wednesday morning.
