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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Friday morning, March 24, 2023
Heavy snowfall and drifting from increasing winds will elevate the danger to HIGH on upper elevation slopes in the backcountry. Dangerous avalanche conditions exist already this morning in drifted upper and mid elevation terrain, and people are likely to trigger loose and soft slab avalanches of storm snow, large cornice falls, or 1' to 3' slab avalanches of wind drifted snow. Accumulations of heavy snow will continue to elevate avalanche conditions on lower elevation slopes.
Avoid being on or under drifted upper elevation slopes steeper than 30°. Stay well clear of avalanche runouts since long running natural avalanches are possible.
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Special Announcements
Thank you to everyone who donated to our Spring Campaign. We appreciate your support and look forward to creating new tools to help you stay safe in the backcountry.
We are in the process of finalizing a report about the March 9th avalanche fatality in the Uintas. Thank you for your patience, and we will publish the final report in coming days.
Weather and Snow
Beaver Mountain reports a couple inches of new snow and snowing heavily this morning. The wind is now blowing from the west around 15 mph and it's 17° F at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station.
Here is the NWS point forecast (36 hrs) for high elevations in the Central Bear River Range:
Today: Snow showers. The snow could be heavy at times. Patchy blowing snow after noon. Temperature falling to around 16 by 5pm. Wind chill values as low as -3. Breezy, with a west wind 16 to 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 7 to 11 inches possible.
Tonight: Snow showers likely, mainly after midnight. Areas of blowing snow before 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 8. Wind chill values as low as -14. Breezy, with a west wind 25 to 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.
Saturday: Snow showers. High near 18. Wind chill values as low as -8. Breezy, with a west wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Logan Zone through noon tomorrow. Unsettled weather with snow showers in the mountains will continue through the weekend, and it looks like the sun will be out on Monday. More snowy weather is likely to last through next week...
Recent Avalanches
  • An observer reports triggering a few soft avalanches of wind drifted snow in the Logan Peak Area yesterday. These were less than a foot deep and 20 to 30 feet wide.
  • For a list of recent avalanches in the Logan Zone go HERE
  • It was a bit more active in the Wasatch Range in the last few days due to wind drifted snow. Find a list of all recent observations & avalanches from across Utah HERE.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
This morning's moderate winds aren't very strong but still plenty strong enough to drift the fresh snow into avalanche starting zones. Expect drifting to increase significantly as westerly winds increase a couple notches later today. Expect growing sensitive cornices and fresh wind slabs in upper and mid elevation avalanche starting zones.
  • Large cornice falls, or 1' to 3' thick wind slabs, are likely for people to trigger in windy terrain at upper elevations.
  • Avoid corniced slopes and stiffer drifts on steep slopes near ridges and in and around terrain features like cliff bands, sub-ridges, mid-slope break-overs, and gully walls.
  • The overhanging cornices on the high ridges have become huge with recent storms, so continue to stay well away and out from under them.
Avalanche Problem #2
New Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
  • As heavy snow accumulates today, loose and soft slab avalanches of storm snow will become increasingly possible and more volumous in steep terrain at all elevations.
  • People could trigger soft slab or loose avalanches of storm snow today even on sheltered slopes steeper than 30°.
  • Natural avalanches of storm snow are most likely during periods of particularly heavy snowfall and drifting.
    Avalanches are possible on low elevation slopes.
  • The snow on lower elevation slopes is quite a bit deeper than it normally is this time of year, especially on shady forested slopes.
  • Loose and soft slab avalanches of storm snow are possible, and the old snow is soft and saturated and could unexpectedly slide off very steep slopes onto trails or into the river.
Additional Information
A skier triggered a few small slab avalanches of drifted snow in the Logan Peak Area on Thursday.
This small triggered wind slab avalanche included two shallow layers of recent storm snow.
General Announcements
  • Please submit your observations from the backcountry HERE.
  • For a list of avalanche classes from the Utah Avalanche Center go HERE
  • For information on where you can ride your sled or snowbike, check out this map of the winter travel plan for the Logan and Ogden Ranger Districts HERE, and a close up of the Tony Grove and Franklin Basin Areas HERE.
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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