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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Monday morning, March 7, 2022
Heightened avalanche conditions and MODERATE danger exist on slopes steeper than 30° at all elevations. People could trigger soft slab and loose dry or wet avalanches of storm snow. Areas with elevated danger also exist on upper and mid elevation slopes facing the northern half of the compass, where yesterday's new snow overloaded slopes plagued by layers of very weak faceted snow. It is becoming more possible in areas that received significant accumulations that people might trigger a dangerous, 1 to 2 foot deep slab avalanche failing on a buried persistent weak layer. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully.
A major winter storm with heavy snowfall, beginning tonight and lasting through Wednesday, will cause rising avalanche danger and increasingly dangerous conditions in the backcountry.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements
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 first significant snowstorm in the Logan Zone since early January dumped more than a foot of snow in some select areas and provided excellent powder conditions, with deep new snow and little wind. Unfortunately, the new snow overloaded slopes with shallowly buried persistent weak layers of sugary faceted snow. Other areas picked up much less new snow, and the sun popped out yesterday afternoon turning the shallow powder into mashed potatoes.
We found some nice powder in the backcountry near Beaver Mountain yesterday.
The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports 10°F this morning, and there is 65 inches of total snow at the site, with 84% of normal SWE for the date. Winds out of the north-northwest are increasing a bit and blowing about 17 mph at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station.
  • Expect mostly sunny skies in the mountains today, with 8500' high temperatures around 19°F, and 10-15 mph northwest winds.
  • Tonight we'll see increasing west-northwest winds, and a good chance for a bit of snow in the early morning hours.
  • The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for tomorrow through Wednesday, with copious heavy snow likely. Expect very dangerous avalanche conditions to develop in the backcountry as lots more heavy spring snow continues to overload slopes with layers of very weak faceted snow.
Recent Avalanches
People triggered a few small soft slab and loose avalanches of storm snow in the Beaver Mountain Backcountry, and we watched a few natural loose sluffs in Beaver Canyon yesterday.
-A skier triggered a wet (moist) loose avalanche or sluff that entrained moist storm snow and piled up pretty deeply in Boiler Bowl yesterday afternoon.
-A skier triggered a good sized wet avalanche Friday on Mitton Peak in the Wellsville Mountain Wilderness.
Check out all the recent backcountry observations and avalanche reports from across Utah HERE
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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
The fresh snow is creating a more cohesive slab on widespread preexisting layers of very weak faceted snow. It's hard to say, but in some areas the overload of heavy new snow could be enough to activate these layers. In some areas, on slopes facing the north half of the compass that picked up significant accumulation, people might trigger soft slab avalanches failing on a buried persistent weak layer. I triggered a couple spooky, pretty good sized audible collapses yesterday on shady mid elevation slopes that picked up significant accumulations yesterday.
  • Avalanches could be triggered remotely or from a distance.
  • Collapsing and cracking are red flags indicating unstable snow and a persistent weak layer.
Avalanche Problem #2
New Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Small soft slab and loose avalanches of storm snow are likely for people to trigger on upper and mid elevation slopes steeper than 30° today.
Loose dry avalanches (or sluffs) of fresh snow entraining recrystallized or faceted snow are possible in sheltered terrain facing the northern half of the compass on very steep slopes. The intense March sun will moisten the fresh snow surface and make the surface snow sticky and prone to sluffing. On sustained slopes, wet sluffs could pile up deeply, especially in terrain traps like gullies, sinks, and benches.
  • Manage loose avalanches 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.
  • Rollerballs, pinwheels, and natural sluffs are signs that wet loose avalanches are likely.
  • Move off and out from under steep sunny slopes when the fresh snow becomes moist and sticky. (this can happen quickly in the springtime)
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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