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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Sunday morning, February 20, 2022
Today, avalanches are unlikely and the avalanche danger is LOW. The snow is stable on most slopes in the backcountry with only a few exceptions. A few inches of new snow is expected to accumulate in the mountains tonight, and drifting snow will likely create heightened avalanche conditions at upper elevations.
Use normal caution. Watch for and avoid (1) stiff deposits of wind drifted snow on steep upper elevation slopes, and (2) loose recrystallized snow sluffing in very steep terrain.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements
  • The Utah Avalanche Center will be holding a BC 101 class in Logan on Feb 24-25. This class is great for those new to the backcountry or wanting to refresh their skills. Click here for details and registration.
  • Thanks to the generous support of our local resorts and Ski Utah, discount lift tickets are now available. Support the UAC while you ski at the resorts this season. Tickets are available HERE.
Weather and Snow
The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports 30°F this morning, and there is 64 inches of total snow at the site containing 90% of normal SWE for the date. Winds out of the southwest are blowing around 25 mph this morning at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station. Expect increasing clouds and breezy conditions in the mountains today ahead of a winter storm that should bring a few inches of new snow to the zone.
People may encounter and perhaps trigger small hard wind slabs at upper elevations, and loose avalanches or sluffs entraining surface snow are possible in steep sheltered terrain. Otherwise, the snow is generally stable across the Logan Zone, and it's been over a month since we've seen any significant avalanche activity. I found variable snow surface conditions in White Pine Canyon yesterday, ranging from soft recrystallized "powder" to thick wind board and thin breakable, and thick bulletproof crusts. Although stable, the existing snow is very sugary and weak, and plagued by complicating and increasingly fryable crusts in many areas. Expect rising avalanche danger in the backcountry as snow accumulates tonight and tomorrow.
  • There is a chance of snow this afternoon, but little accumulation is expected. Expect increasing clouds and intensifying wind today with 8500' high temperatures near 35°F. West-southwest winds are expected to blow 15 to 25 mph, with gusts near 40 mph.
  • Snow is likely tonight, with 2 to 4 inches of accumulation expected. temperatures will drop to around 10°F and it will be breezy, with 14 to 22 mph west-southwest winds veering from the north-northwest after midnight.
  • Snow is likely tomorrow, with less than an inch of accumulation expected. It will be mostly cloudy, with an high temperature around 22°F and northwest winds.
  • Unsettled weather will continue through the upcoming week, with much colder temperatures and periods of snow showers in the mountains.
Clouds and a little fresh snow on the Wellsville Range reflected in the waters of the Little Bear River.
Recent Avalanches
Other than a few sluffs or avalanches of loose snow in steep terrain, no avalanches were reported recently in the Logan Zone.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Normal Caution
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
LOW avalanche danger doesn't mean NO avalanche danger. Although avalanches are unlikely exceptions might be found, mainly in steep upper elevation terrain.
  1. Today people might trigger shallow slab avalanches of stiff drifted snow in wind exposed upper elevation terrain. Drifting from west winds formed wind slabs capping weak faceted snow, and some of these may be sensitive to human triggering. Avoid drifted snow at upper elevations on the lee side of major ridges and in and around terrain features like sub-ridges, gullies, and cliff bands.
  2. Loose avalanches (or sluffs) of recrystallized or faceted surface snow are possible on very steep and sustained slopes. Manage sluffs by staying out of constricting terrain, like drainage gullies, and moving out of the fall line so you don't get caught by your own sluff. Avoid being caught and pulled into terrain traps below you like trees, gullies, or benches.
Northwest winds blew down Providence Canyon and built shallow drifts on the quarry slag pile. People might trigger shallow avalanches of wind drifted snow in steep terrain today.
Additional Information
  • Now is a great time to practice your avalanche rescue skills. Thanks to the generous support of Northstar, the Franklin Basin Beacon Training Park is up and running. The park is located directly west of the parking lot and is open for anyone to use. All you need is your beacon and probe. Please do not dig up the transmitters.
  • Always follow safe backcountry travel protocols. Go one person at a time in avalanche terrain, while the rest of your party watches from a safe area. (practice anytime while traveling on or under backcountry slopes steeper than 30°)
  • Check your avalanche rescue equipment, change your batteries, and practice often with your backcountry partners.
    Check slope angles, and to avoid avalanche terrain stay off of and out from under slopes steeper than 30° and adjacent slopes. Video Here
General Announcements
Special thank you to Polaris and Northstar...Video Here
Who's up for some free avalanche training? Get a refresher, become better prepared for an upcoming avalanche class, or just boost your skills. Go to https://learn.kbyg.org/ and scroll down to Step 2 for a series of interactive online avalanche courses produced by the UAC.
  • Check out all the upcoming education classes and clinics HERE.
  • Please submit your observations from the backcountry HERE.
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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