Logan

Very dangerous avalanche conditions will develop at all elevations on backcountry slopes steeper than 30°. Warm temperatures and intense sun will elevate the avalanche danger to HIGH. Large natural cornice falls and wet avalanches will certainly occur in sunny terrain and are possible on steep slopes at all elevations. *Wet avalanches on steep slopes at very low elevations and in the foothills may threaten unsuspecting people, children, or pets.

What: The avalanche danger for the warning area will very quickly rise to HIGH today with daytime heating.

Where: For the mountains and foothills of Northern Utah, including the Wasatch Range...Bear River Range...Wellsville Range...Oquirrh Mountains...Stansbury Range...Cache Valley...Ogden Valley...Skyline...Uinta Mountains

Impacts: Warm temperatures and the intense sun will create widespread areas of unstable wet snow. Natural and human-triggered cornice falls and wet avalanches are likely. People should avoid being in avalanche terrain (off of and out from under slopes steeper than 30°) and stay clear of avalanche run-outs on all aspects and elevations.

We've released the accident report for the 3-27-23 Pole Canyon avalanche. It's HERE

• Widespread natural wet avalanches occurred in the past couple days in Wellsville Range. Large natural cornice falls and overrunning loose avalanches have triggered dangerously large wet slabs. I was glad to see no cars parked at the Rattlesnake TH yesterday after seeing the huge debris pile from a massive natural avalanche....HERE

A recent large natural avalanche triggered by a cornice fall in the Wellsvilles. Rattlesnake Canyon, N Ridge of Mitton Pk, 4-9-23

• A natural avalanche crossed the inside lane of Highway 89 at the Dugway in Logan Canyon at 6:30 Saturday evening, after most down canyon traffic had already passed.
• A close call occurred on Tuesday in Hillyard Canyon, Cub River Idaho, when a rider triggered a soft slab avalanche, two other riders were caught and carried. They were able to deploy airbags and one rider was partially buried. The party had to probe for one sled which was found completely buried about 5' deep. report is HERE
• For a list of recent avalanches in the Logan Zone go HERE, and there has been lots of recent natural avalanche activity in the mountains of Northern Utah. Find a list of all recent observations & avalanches from across Utah HERE.

Temperatures stayed well above freezing overnight again, preventing a good refreeze of the saturated snow. Solar warming will quickly soften up the snow this morning, and very dangerous avalanche conditions will develop. Above normal heat will also warm up and soften the snow on shady north facing slopes down low, where there is a ton of snow holding out this spring. Avalanches are possible in places where people don't normally have to worry about avalanches this time of year, like on day hiking trails, along the rivers, and even on steep slopes in your neighborhood benches and foothills....

*PEOPLE SHOULD AVOID BEING IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN AND STAY CLEAR OF AVALANCHE RUNOUTS. The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports 37° F and 142" of total snow. At the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, it's 39° F and the wind is blowing from the southeast 10 mph.

Here is the NWS point forecast (36 hrs) for Logan Canyon:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 64. East southeast wind 7 to 9 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 39. East wind 8 to 13 mph becoming south after midnight.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 67. Southwest wind 14 to 16 mph.

Looks like cooler conditions and some clouds around midweek.

This fresh large natural wet avalanche in Old Logway Canyon in the Wellsvilles was visible from across Cache Valley yesterday morning. (4-10-23)

Last week an avalanche of wind drifted snow came pretty close to a couple houses in Garden City near Bear Lake

• Please submit your observations from the backcountry HERE.
• For a list of avalanche classes from the Utah Avalanche Center go HERE
• For information on where you can ride your sled or snow-bike, check out this map of the winter travel plan for the Logan and Ogden Ranger Districts HERE, and a close up of the Tony Grove and Franklin Basin Areas HERE.

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.