Forecast: Ogden Area Mountains - Utah Avalanche Center

Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Issued by Paige Pagnucco on
Wednesday morning, March 12, 2025

The avalanche danger is MODERATE today. Human-triggered avalanches of wind-drifted snow are possible in lee upper elevation terrain. Wet avalanches are possible on all southerly-facing terrain and on lower and mid-elevation northerly-facing terrain with warm daytime temperatures.

Evaluate snow and terrain carefully today.

Low

Moderate

Considerable

High

Extreme

Learn how to read the forecast here

Special Announcements

We are heartbroken to confirm that 51-year-old Micheal Janulaitis of Marion, Utah, was killed in an avalanche on March 7 near Hoyt Peak. Micheal was caught and carried while skiing a steep, northeast-facing run in Hoyt Bowl. We are deeply grateful to the teams who helped bring him home. Micheal was a friend of the UAC, and his loss is felt deeply in the backcountry community. He will be greatly missed.

We are compiling accident details and a preliminary report can be found HERE.

March kicks off our Spring Campaign! If everyone in Utah’s backcountry community donates the cost of something they regularly enjoy on an adventure—like a dawn patrol burrito, a backpack snack, or post-ride trailhead drinks—we could fund not just one but two forecasters for the entire season! Donate here. Thank you!

Weather and Snow

This morning, temperatures are in the mid-30s and low 40s °F at trailheads and mid-20s°F at ridgelines. For another night, many of the Ogden area trailheads weather stations didn’t drop below freezing, but most ridgelines did dip below 32 °F for a few hours. Winds are blowing from the south-southwest 15-20 mph with ridgeline gusts near 35 mph.

Today should be a beautiful but very windy day in the mountains, with 8,000' temperatures near 45°F and mostly sunny skies. Winds are the big story - they will blow from the south-southwest 15 -25 mph with gusts of 40 mph near the ridgelines.

Outlook: Snow will begin falling in earnest tomorrow morning, with the heaviest snow anticipated Thursday afternoon and evening with the passage of the cold front. Snow will continue into Friday morning before diminishing. Forecast storm totals are about 6-12" of new snow by Friday morning. Gradual cooling should create right-side-up and improved riding conditions.

Snow Conditions: Very variable. A mix of wind crusts, melt-freeze crusts, some breakable, some not. Pockets of soft snow exist in N-facing terrain at mid and upper elevations. Everything else has been zapped by the sun.

Recent Avalanches

Warm temperatures have caused cornices to fall over the past few days, and there is ample evidence of wet loose avalanche activity.

Check out all avalanches and observations HERE.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

Strong winds are creating isolated soft and hard slabs of wind-drifted snow at upper elevations, particularly on leeward slopes and in and around terrain features like gullies and scoops. These slabs could rest on a weak snow interface. Watch for signs of wind-drifted snow, such as textured or pillow-shaped features. Cracking is a sure sign of instability but may not always be present.

Cornices are large in places and unstable with the warm temperatures. Give them a wide berth, as they can break farther than expected and may trigger an avalanche on the slope below.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

We are past the peak wet snow instability but, with continued warm daytime temps and a poor overnight refreeze, wet snow avalanches are still possible today. Any slope baked by the warm sun is suspect. When the snow starts feeling mushy, and you are sinking in past your ankles, it is time to move to a cooler aspect or elevation or lower-angle terrain. The strong winds may help minimize this problem today.

General Announcements

CLICK HERE FOR MORE GENERAL INFO AND FAQ

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.

Observations and Avalanches

Backcountry Emergency Procedures