Avalanche forecast

Logan

Utah Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline
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Highlights

MODERATE: Expect rising avalanche danger today. Heightened conditions exist at upper elevations already this morning, and human triggered avalanches of wind drifted snow are possible. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully.

  • Accumulations of heavy snow and drifting from southwest winds will cause the danger to increase and become more widespread.
  • Wet avalanches are possible at lower elevations on steep slopes with rain saturated snow.
  • Soft slab and loose avalanches involving new snow will become increasingly likely as heavy snow piles up on slopes with preexisting weak surface snow.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2

    Avalanches of wind drifted snow are possible on upper elevation slopes this morning. The danger is likely to increase and become more widespread due to drifting from southwest winds today.

    • Stay clear of large ridge top cornices, which are likely to break further back than you expect and could trigger avalanches on steep slopes below.
    • Avoid freshly formed drifts on the lee side of major ridges and in and around terrain features like sub-ridges, scoops, springers, gullies, and cliff bands.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2

    Loose wet avalanches are possible on steep low elevation slopes, since rain saturated and softened the snow last night. I'm not sure where the rain/snow line is this morning, but I think its at around 7500' in elevation. You should avoid and stay out from under steep slopes with saturated snow. Natural wet avalanche activity is possible.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2

    Soft slab and loose avalanches involving new snow will become increasingly likely even in sheltered terrain as heavy new snow stacks up, especially if more than expected accumulates. In many areas we observed surface hoar feathers and in others, a shallow layer of weak sugary snow on top of a hard melt-freeze crust.

Special Announcement

Enjoy spring skiing at Snowbasin Resort. The UAC has discount Snowbasin tickets available. HERE

Recent Activity

A rider triggered a large hard slab avalanche yesterday in Caribou Basin in the Wasatch Range above Midway. No new avalanches were reported in the Logan Zone since last week's wind-spawned natural activity.

Snow and Weather

A few inches of heavy snow and drifting from strong south-southwest winds overnight created heightened avalanche conditions at upper elevations, and you could trigger avalanches consisting of fresh wind drifted snow this morning. Loose wet avalanches are possible on rain-saturated slopes at lower elevations, below the rain/snow line at around 7500'. As more heavy snow accumulates, soft slab and loose storm snow avalanches failing on preexisting weak surface snow will become increasingly likely, even in sheltered terrain.

We found glittering surface hoar on the ridges and in avalanche starting zones Monday. In some areas it may have survived last night's wind and rain.

The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports about 4 inches of heavy new snow, with .5" SWE from overnight. It's 32ºF this morning and there's 87"of total snow containing 104% of average SWE for the date. It's 27 ºF at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, and southwest winds are currently averaging around 30 mph, with a 56 mph gust earlier this morning.

The very moist air mass over Utah combined with a series of passing weather disturbances will bring widespread, and at times heavy precipitation through the end of the week. Expect moist snow in the mountains today, with 3 to 5 inches of accumulation possible. Temperatures at 8500' expected to drop to around 27ºF, this morning, with 15 to 20 mph south-southwest winds. It'll snow tonight, with 3 to 7 inches possible, low temperatures expected to rise to around 31º F, with 20 mph west winds. Snow will continue tomorrow, with 3 to 5 inches possible, a high temperature around 32 ºF and 20 mph southwest winds.

Additional Info

I will update this forecast Friday morning.

The new weather station at the WSU Bloomington Canyon Yurt is up and running. Data available HERE

Now is a great time to practice companion rescue techniques with your backcountry partners. You should check out and use the new Avalanche Beacon Training Park we set up at the Franklin Basin trailhead. Special thanks to Northstars Ultimate Outdoors, USU Outdoor Program, and Beaver Mountain Ski Patrol for helping us to make this possible.

General Announcements

The Beaver Mountain Backside is the backcountry, and it is avalanche terrain. Same goes for the steep rocky terrain adjacent to Cherry Peak Resort. If you leave a ski area boundary, you and your partners should carry and practice with avalanche rescue equipment and follow safe backcountry travel protocols.

Check out the improved weather links, road conditions, and weather links for each forecast region on the new UAC IOS App. Do you use the NOAA point forecast? If so, now you can bookmark your favorite weather locations in "My Weather" in the App. HERE

Are you new to the backcountry or looking to refresh your skills? The UAC has released a free 5-part avalanche skills eLearning series. HERE

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Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche observations. HERE You can call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your Instagram.

This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. The forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

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