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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Thursday morning, February 17, 2022
Today, the avalanche danger is LOW in the backcountry. Avalanches are unlikely, and the snow is stable on most slopes with only a few exceptions.
Use normal caution. Watch for and avoid (1) fresh drifts on steep upper elevation slopes, and (2) loose recrystallized snow sluffing in very steep shady 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 15°F, and four inches of new snow from yesterday's small storm. There is 66 inches of total snow at the site containing 96% of normal SWE for the date. Winds out of the northwest are blowing a little under 20 mph this morning at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station.
A few inches of new snow isn't enough to change avalanche conditions much, although people may encounter shallow drifts or soft wind slabs at upper elevations that are sensitive to triggering. The snow is generally stable across the Logan Zone, and it's been over a month since we've seen any significant avalanche activity. After a month of dry weather, the fresh snow landed on variable snow surface conditions, ranging from soft and shallow recrystallized "powder" to thin, breakable, and bulletproof crusts. Although stable, the preexisting snow is very weak in many areas, and the new thin layer of fresh snow will only cap and preserve widespread layers of loose and sugary faceted snow.
  • Today will be sunny with 8500' high temperatures near 25°F. West winds are expected to blow 15 to 20 mph, with gusts over 30 mph in exposed terrain, creating wind chill values as low -5°F.
  • Tonight, temperatures will drop to around 10°F under partly cloud skies. West winds will blow 18 to 22 mph, driving the wind chill values down to around -6°F.
  • It will be nice and sunny in the mountains tomorrow, with high temperatures around 32°F and 15 mph west winds.
  • Fair weather and warming is expected for the first part of the weekend, with warmer temperatures, breezy west winds, and plenty of sun expected Saturday.
  • Potential appears to be increasing for a more impactful storm early next week, and snow will likely begin to fall in the mountains on Sunday. Heavier snowfall is possible Sunday night and Monday.
Clouds and a little fresh snow in the Bear River Range is a welcome change from weeks of recent sunny weather.
Recent Avalanches
Friday in steep terrain in the Bear River Range a party of riders triggered a few loose avalanches or sluffs involving 10" to 12" of very loose sugary faceted surface snow. These were manageable but indicate potential for larger avalanches in the future.
On a sustained slope, this kind of avalanche could be a problem if you get swept into trees or other terrain traps below like gullies or benches.
Yesterday, an observer reported some recent natural loose avalanches or sluffs coming off rock bands in Belicosity Bowls in the Mount Naomi Wilderness.
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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 soft slab avalanches of drifted fresh snow in wind exposed upper elevation terrain. Drifting from west winds may form soft wind slabs capping weak faceted snow, and some of these may be sensitive to human triggering. Avoid fresh drifts 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 these 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.
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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