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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Monday morning, April 8, 2019
Rapid warming today will soften already saturated snow and create heightened wet avalanche conditions at all elevations. Dangerous avalanche conditions and CONSIDERABLE danger may develop on sunny slopes and in sheltered terrain, with natural and human triggered wet loose and wet slab avalanches possible in the heat of the day.
  • Avoid travel in gullies and on or below steep slopes with melt-softened saturated snow.
  • Evaluate snow and terrain carefully.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
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Weather and Snow
It's just too warm. The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports 38ºF this morning, and there is 81"of total snow. I'm reading 32ºF at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, and west-southwest winds are averaging 30 mph, with gusts around 50 mph. Rapid warming today will quickly soften saturated snow, and heightened wet avalanche conditions will develop at all elevations. Temperatures will climb to near 50ºF in the mountains today, solar warming and greenhousing could intensify the heat, and dangerous wet avalanche conditions may develop in some sheltered and sunny areas.
High pressure over the area today will give way to a potent and cold storm system arriving tomorrow. Cool and unsettled conditions will persist through the end of the week. High temperatures at 8500' are expected to be around 50ºF, with 15 to 20 mph west-southwest wind. Rain and snow showers are likely late tonight, with low temperatures around 33 ºF , and 15 to 20 mph west-southwest winds. A cold and powerful storm will impact the zone tomorrow, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch, with 5 to 9 inches possible during the day and 15 to 21 mph west winds.
Recent Avalanches
Cloud cover and cooler temperatures kept wet avalanche activity to a minimum over the weekend, but it stayed above freezing in many areas, and snow remains soft and saturated throughout on many slopes. We noticed a new natural wet loose avalanche from late Saturday in Beaver Creek Canyon that entrained all the snow, running on the ground.
Numerous fairly large natural wet loose and a few wet slab avalanches occurred late last week across the Logan Zone. Wet loose and wet slab avalanches occurred with daytime solar warming.
A natural wet loose avalanche overrunning a steep mid elevation slope, triggered a wet slab avalanche and created quite a mess below Mitton Peak in the Wellsville Mountain Wilderness (4/5/19).
Natural wet loose and wet slab avalanches were widespread in the Bear River and Wellsville Mountain Ranges last week.
Avalanche Problem #1
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Temperatures are expected to rise to close to 50ºF at upper elevations, and this will soften the saturated snow and cause it to be prone to avalanching in many areas. Wet loose and wet slab avalanches will be possible for people to trigger, and natural activity is possible in the heat of the day. Avoid being on or under steep slopes with melt-softened saturated snow, and stay out of runout gullies.
Stay off and out from under large ridge top cornices, which could naturally calve during daytime heat, are likely to break further back than expected, and could trigger wet avalanches on steep slopes below.
Additional Information
I will update this forecast Wednesday morning.
General Announcements
The new weather station at the WSU Bloomington Canyon Yurt is up and running. Data available HERE
Now is a great time to practice companion rescue techniques with your backcountry partners. You should 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.
The Beaver Mountain Backside is the backcountry, and it is avalanche terrain. Same goes for the steep rocky terrain adjacent to Cherry Peak Resort. If you leave a ski area boundary, you and your partners should carry and practice with avalanche rescue equipment and follow safe backcountry travel protocols.
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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