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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Thursday morning, April 18, 2019
Areas with heightened avalanche conditions exist on some upper elevation slopes, and human triggered avalanches of dense wind drifted snow are still possible. Rapid warming, mountain temperatures approaching 50ºF, and strong sun could create dangerous avalanche conditions and CONSIDERABLE danger in sunny upper elevation terrain, with wet avalanches becoming likely on steep slopes during the heat of the day.
Use extra caution. Head home early, and evaluate snow and terrain carefully.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
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Thank you to everyone who supported our spring fundraiser. We reached and even exceeded our goals. The Utah Avalanche Center could not exist without your support.
Weather and Snow
The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports about a foot of heavy new snow with 2.8" SWE earlier in the week. There's 88 inches of total snow, and it's 32ºF this morning. I'm reading 24ºF at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, and northwest winds are currently averaging around 25 mph.
Here is a short video from Utah Avalanche Center Staff about Spring snow.
Strong high pressure aloft building into the Great Basin will bring a substantial warming and drying trend to Utah through the first half of the upcoming weekend. A weak storm system will bring cooler and unsettled weather Sunday into early next week.
It will be sunny today in the mountains, with high temperatures at 9000' expected to be around 47ºF and 6 to 14 mph northwest wind. It will be mostly clear tonight with low temperatures around 30ºF, and 8 to 10 mph northwest winds. Tomorrow will be sunny, with high temperatures of around 52ºF and 6 to 13 mph southwest wind.
Recent Avalanches
Widespread natural wet loose avalanche activity at upper and mid elevations occurred across the Logan Zone with the rainy weather earlier in the week. With clearing yesterday we could see how extensive the cycle was. Loose avalanches entraining wet new snow were observed on many steep slopes, and some were pretty long running...
Numerous fairly large natural wet loose and a few wet slab avalanches occurred in the first half of April across the Logan Zone.
Avalanche Problem #1
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Rapid seasonal daytime warming and strong April sun will cause increasing danger of wet avalanches entraining saturated dense new snow. Natural and human triggered wet avalanches will become possible in steep sunny terrain, especially on upper and mid elevation slopes that received a fair amount of wet snow earlier in the week facing the southern half of the compass.
  • Avoid being on or under steep slopes with melt-softened saturated snow, and stay out of runout gullies.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Around a foot of heavy new snow fell at upper elevations earlier this week, and sustained and fairly strong westerly winds drifted it on steep slopes and into avalanche starting zones. Human triggered avalanches of dense wind drifted snow, 1 to 2 feet deep, are still possible on some upper elevation slopes. Avalanches might be a bit stubborn to trigger today, but some could run fast and far.
  • Avoid stiffer freshly drifted snow on the lee side of major ridges and in and around terrain features like cliff bands, gullies, tree stringers, scoops, and sub-ridges.
  • Stay off and out from under large ridge top cornices, which are likely to break further back than expected, and could trigger avalanches on steep slopes below.
Additional Information
I will update this forecast by 7:30 Friday morning. We will continue to post intermittent and weekend updates through April.
Spring snow in the Logan Zone...
General Announcements
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.
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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