Bulletin d’avalanche

Ogden

Émis le Jan 7, 2022valide jusqu’au Jan 8, 2022Utah Avalanche Center

Danger d’avalanche

Alpin
Limite forestière
Sous la limite forestière

Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 5 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

Dense storm and wind-drifted snow has created a CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger on mid and upper elevation aspects facing northwest to north and east where avalanches may break down 2-4' into old, weak snow down near the ground. A Moderate danger exists on southerly aspects at the mid and upper elevations. There is a Moderate danger at lower elevations where wet avalanches are possible.

The good news is that excellent and safer riding can be found on lower-angle slopes with no overhead hazard.

Problèmes avalancheux

Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpin
Limite forestière
Sous la limite forestière
Probabilité
Likely
Taille
4
There is a persistent weak layer (PWL) of old faceted snow down near the ground with 2-5' of snow on top of it. This PWL exists on mid and upper elevation slopes facing northwest through north and east. It does not exist on south-facing slopes as any early season snow melted away and December snowfall landed on bare ground on these slopes. This PWL has been fracturing and producing large, dangerous avalanches over the past few weeks. Since Wednesday, we have added up to 2' of dense snow containing up to 3" of water weight as well as wind-loaded snow- stressing this buried weak layer.

We are moving in the right direction towards this PWL problem becoming dormant, but for now, I continue to avoid being on or underneath any steep slope facing northwest/north/east at the mid and upper elevations.

Mark Staples talking about the snow structure in Hell's Canyon.
Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpin
Limite forestière
Sous la limite forestière
Probabilité
Possible
Taille
3
Strong winds Wednesday and into Thursday created dense wind drifts at the mid and upper elevations, and increasing winds today from the west/southwest may create fresh pockets of wind-drifted snow. These dense drifts may allow you to get well-onto a wind slab before fracturing - watch for shooting cracks as signs of instability.
Loose Wet
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpin
Limite forestière
Sous la limite forestière
Probabilité
Possible
Taille
2
A rain/snow line of 7,500' saturated the snowpack at lower elevations and combined with warm temperatures today make wet avalanches possible below about 8,000'. Wet, loose debris may pile up deeply in terrain traps.

Roof-alanches - where roofs shed their entire snowpack - are also likely today. These can be quite dangerous - avoid being underneath steeper roofs that have a layer of snow on top.

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Recent Activity

Recent observations include

Thursday from Cutler Ridge (Richie Schumacher)

Tuesday from Hell's Canyon (Mark Staples)

Control work from Ogden resorts on Thursday produced small to medium-sized slides at the upper elevations, failing within storm and wind-drifted snow.

Although specific to the Salt Lake mountains, our Week in Review - where we highlight significant snow and weather events - has been published.

Snow and Weather

Temperatures range through the 20's F and skies are partly cloudy. Winds are from the south/southwest and at mid-elevations are averaging in the 20's with gusts in the 30's. Along the upper-most ridges, winds are averaging in the 30's and 40's with gusts in the 50's mph.

Storm totals from the past few days may have modest snow amounts, but impressive water (Snow Water Equivalent, or SWE) with 20" of snow containing 2.75" SWE.

Further to our north, the Logan mountains picked up over 2' of snow containing over 6" of water.

Snow quality is decent at the upper elevations with dense, surfy snow that makes for easy and fun travel and riding conditions. At low and mid elevations, the snow becomes increasingly damp to saturated.

Mostly clear skies this morning will give way to increasing clouds this afternoon. Winds will be from the west/southwest and it will be breezy. At mid elevations winds will average in the teens with gusts in the 20's mph. Along upper elevation ridges, winds will average in the 30's with gusts in the 50's mph. Temperatures will be quite warm for early January, with 10,000' temperatures rising into the mid 30's F. Snowfall overnight with minor accumulations into Saturday - hopefully we'll pick up 4" from this storm. Colder temperatures forecast for the weekend with high pressure building into the region.

Unfortunately, once the Friday night/Saturday storms clear out there no storms are forecast for at least the next several days.

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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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