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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Saturday morning, February 19, 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 or sun-moistened new snow sluffing in very steep terrain.
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Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements
  • We will be up at the Franklin Basin Trailhead this morning talking to people about snow and avalanche conditions, testing equipment, and practicing in the Franklin Basin Beacon Training Park.
  • 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 24°F this morning, and there is 64 inches of total snow at the site containing 92% of normal SWE for the date. Winds out of the west are blowing a little over 20 mph this morning at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station. Three or four inches of new snow accumulated at upper elevations with the midweek snow showers. The new snow whitened the views and improved backcountry riding conditions a bit, and we'll see pleasant, sunny weather in the mountains again today.
People may encounter shallow drifts or soft wind slabs at upper elevations that are sensitive to triggering, and human triggered loose avalanches or sluffs entraining surface snow are possible in steep terrain. The snow is generally stable across the Logan Zone, and it's been over a month since we've seen any significant avalanche activity. The shallow fresh snow is capping variable snow surface conditions, ranging from soft recrystallized "powder" to thin breakable, and thick bulletproof crusts. Although stable, the preexisting snow is very sugary and weak, and plagued by complicating and increasingly fryable crusts in many areas. Expect rising avalanche danger in the backcountry as snow gradually accumulates in upcoming days and beyond.
  • Today will be sunny with 8500' high temperatures near 34°F. West-southwest winds are expected to blow 15 to 20 mph, with gusts near 35 mph.
  • Tonight, temperatures will drop to around 17°F under mostly clear skies. It will be breezy, and west-southwest winds will blow 20 to 25 mph along the ridges.
  • It will start out mostly sunny in the mountains again tomorrow morning, with high temperatures around 34°F, increasing clouds, and 20 to 25 mph west-southwest winds. Snow is quite possible in the afternoon, but accumulations will remain under an inch.
  • A winter storm will impact the area tomorrow night, with snow likely in the mountains and down in Cache Valley. North-northwest winds will blow around 20 mph and 2 to 4 inches of accumulation is forecast for upper elevation slopes by Monday morning.
  • Unsettled weather will continue through at least the first half of the upcoming week, with cold temperatures and periods of snow and snow showers.
Clouds and a little fresh snow on the Wellsville Range reflected in the waters of the Little Bear River.
Recent Avalanches
No avalanches were reported recently in the Logan Zone other than a few sluffs or avalanches of loose snow in steep terrain. But, an observer reported signs of instability yesterday, a minor collapse and localized cracking in drifted snow near Steam Mill Peak.
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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 formed 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. Also, solar heating will cause the shallow fresh snow to become moist and prone to sluffing in steep sunny terrain. 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.
Northwest winds blew down Providence Canyon and built shallow drifts on the quarry slag pile. People might trigger shallow avalanches of wind drifted snow in steep terrain today.
People might trigger loose avalanches of powder and faceted snow or damp sluffs entraining sun-warmed fresh snow in steep terrain today.
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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