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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Monday morning, February 3, 2025
Dangerous avalanche conditions exist at all elevations in the backcountry. The danger is HIGH on drifted upper elevation slopes facing northwest through southeast, where natural and human-triggered avalanches of wind-drifted snow are likely today. There is CONSIDERABLE danger on all other slopes steeper than 30°, and people are likely to trigger dangerous slab avalanches failing on a sugary, persistent weak layer now buried 1 to 2 feet deep. Rain saturated the snow in low and mid-elevation terrain, and temperatures are exceptionally warm, so wet avalanches remain likely.
  • Avoid travel in avalanche terrain and stay clear of avalanche runouts. You'll find safer riding in the meadows and on slopes less than 30° not connected to or beneath steeper slopes.
  • Fishers of the Logan River should avoid being under steep slopes with saturated snow.
Low
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Considerable
High
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Weather and Snow
Avalanche conditions are becoming increasingly complex. Heavy new snow from the weekend storm and extensive drifting from strong winds from the southwest overload a widespread layer of pre-existing weak snow. Rain with a rising rain/snow line and unseasonably warm temperatures saturated the snow in mid and low-elevation terrain. Combined, these factors have created dangerous avalanche conditions in the backcountry.
People should avoid travel in all avalanche terrain and stay clear of avalanche runouts today. You'll find good dense powder riding in the meadows and on low-angle slopes less than 30 degrees not connected to or under steeper terrain.
***Fishers need to be aware of potential wet avalanches coming down into the river.
-The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400 feet reports about 16 inches of settled heavy snow from the weekend storm with 2.9" SWE. It's too warm, 37° F, with 66 inches of total snow. (93% of normal for the date). At our Card Canyon weather station at 8800 feet, it's 36° F and there is 45 inches of total snow.
-At the CSI Logan Peak weather station at 9700 feet, winds are blowing from the west-southwest 33 to 58 mph with overnight gusts close to 70 mph, and it's 32° F. On Paris Peak, at 9500 feet, it is 25° F, and the winds are blowing from the south-southwest 22 to 32 mph, with overnight gusts near 50 mph.
NWS point forecast for the Naomi Peak Area: Today: Cloudy, with a high near 50° F. Breezy, with a southwest wind 21 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Tonight: Cloudy, with a low around 38° F. Breezy, with a south-southwest wind 22 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 41 mph. Tuesday: A 30% chance of snow after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 38° F by 8am. Breezy, with a southwest wind 21 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
The next chance for snow comes Tuesday night and Wednesday, with 6 to 10 inches of accumulation possible. Snow will continue through the end of the week and into next weekend, and it is likely to be heavy at times on Friday
For more information, visit the UAC weather page here: Weather - Utah Avalanche Center
For Logan-specific weather, go here: Logan Mountain Weather - Utah Avalanche Center
Recent Avalanches
Numerous natural avalanches from overnight or early Sunday morning were observed at all elevations across the Logan Zone. Widespread natural wind slabs in the Wellsville Range were on generally east-facing slopes <9000 feet. These looked to be 1 to 3 feet deep and 150 to 800+ feet wide, with some running around 2000 vertical feet. Natural wet loose and wet slab avalanches occurred in Logan Canyon, with a few slides running out onto Highway 89. Numerous red flags of instability were reported, including long shooting cracks and extensive whumpfs. Riders intentionally triggered a sizable wind slab on a test slope in the Crescent Lake area.
  • Read about all avalanches and observations in the Logan Zone HERE.
  • *Remember, the information you share about avalanches you see or trigger in the backcountry could save lives.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Strong winds drifted snow into avalanche starting zones, overloading many slopes with dense, new snow. With continuing winds from the southwest expected today, we advise staying clear of steep, wind-drifted slopes. Wind slabs are most likely to be found on the lee side of major ridges and on corniced slopes, but they were also formed by cross-loading in and around terrain features like sub-ridges, gullies, and cliff bands.
  • Avoid rounded pillows of snow that sound or feel hollow underfoot. Wind slabs are generally much stiffer than the surrounding snow.
  • Shooting cracks and collapsing or whumpfs are clear signs of instability.
  • Many wind slabs formed on weak faceted surface snow, now a buried persistent weak layer, and instability could last for a while.
  • Some wind slab avalanches could be triggered remotely (from a distance) or from below.
Avalanche Problem #2
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Prior to this weekend, the Logan area mountains developed a widespread layer of weak surface snow. Last weekend's storm overloaded the weak, sugary surface snow, and it is now a buried persistent weak layer.
Drifting built slabs on the weak layer, but even in sheltered terrain, soft slabs of storm snow up to two feet deep will be easy to trigger, and some may occur naturally. The higher you go today, the bigger and deeper these potential avalanches will be.
Avalanche Problem #3
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
With warm temperatures and rain below 8000 feet, expect to see wet loose and wet slab avalanches on snow-covered slopes facing all directions. These may gouge deeper into the snowpack as they run and become bigger than expected as they travel downhill. Suspect areas include all cut banks and slopes above the river and any slope steeper than 30° where the snow is saturated. Exceptionally warm mountain temperatures could saturate the snow and cause wet avalanche potential in upper-elevation terrain as well. Low-elevation slopes facing southeast, south, and southwest are mostly bare or have only very shallow snow cover.
  • Rollerballs, pinwheels, and loose sluffs are signs of unstable snow.
  • Avoid being underneath steep slopes with rain-saturated, moist, or wet snow.
Additional Information
Yesterday, large natural avalanches in the Wellsville Mountain Wilderness were visible from across Cache Valley.
Riders yesterday intentionally triggered this small avalanche on a small test slope in the Crescent Lake Area.
General Announcements
-National Forest Winter Recreation Travel Maps show where it's open to ride: UWCNF Logan, Ogden LRD Tony Grove, Franklin Basin CTNF Montpelier
-For all questions on forecasts, education, Know Before You Go, events, online purchases, or fundraising, call 801-365-5522.
-Remember the information you provide could save lives, especially if you see or trigger an avalanche. To report an avalanche or submit an observation from the backcountry, go HERE.
-Receive forecast region-specific text message alerts to receive messages about changing avalanche conditions, watches, and warnings. Sign up and update your preferences 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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