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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed for
Monday, December 15, 2014

The danger is LOW and avalanches are unlikely on most slopes in the backcountry, but you could find pockets with a MODERATE (level 2) danger on drifted slopes at upper elevations. Heightened avalanche conditions exist and you could trigger stiff wind slab avalanches in some areas.

  • Avoid steep drifted slopes at upper elevations.
  • Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully.
  • Check, carry, and practice regularly with your rescue equipment.

Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Weather and Snow

There's about an inch of new snow at the 8400' Tony Grove Snotel from yesterday, with 36 inches of total snow containing 99% of average water for the date, and it's 15 degrees. The wind sensor at the CSI Logan Peak weather station is encased with rime, but winds are light (< 5 mph) up at the UDOT Hwy 89 Logan Summit. It's dust-on-crust at lower and mid elevations, but sheltered shady slopes up high, especially those with soft underlying snow, offer reasonably nice shallow powder conditions

The Tony Grove and Franklin Basin Roads are not maintained for wheeled travel in the winter!


A frosty aspen tree covered in fresh rime in yesterday's icy fog near the top of Beaver Mt. (12-14-2014


Everyone needs to carry a shovel, probe, and transceiver. Be sure your rescue gear is functioning by practicing with it, and when polite invitations don't work, force your partners to join in the fun. You can bury your pack with your transceiver in it and have your partner find, probe, and excavate it. Then get them to do the same for you. Training your team is critical in this game. Our own new, Quick and Easy Avalanche Rescue Practice Video............... ***HERE

Recent Avalanches

We triggered a small wind slab avalanche Friday at around 9500' on a drifted northeast facing slope. The shallow, recently formed wind slab failed on sugary near surface facets. Report is.......... HERE

Visit our Backcountry Observations Page for more information.....


Ad
Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Wind slabs formed by strong south winds late last week could be rather stiff, or even hard, and they might allow you to get out on them before releasing. Wind slabs might fail on weak sugary snow that was on the surface last week. Avoid potential wind slabs at upper elevations on the lee side of major ridge-lines, in and around terrain features like gullies or rock outcroppings, below cliff-bands, or near cross-loaded sub-ridges. These may now be hidden under a few inches of fresh snow from the weekend. Increasing winds overnight will cause drifting in exposed terrain and the development of softer fresh wind slabs...


Additional Information

Expect mostly sunny conditions in the mountains today with high temperatures at 8500' around 26 degrees and fairly light westerly wind. The winds will increase a bit and veer from the south tonight, and there's a chance for a little snow after about 11:00. It'll be mostly cloudy tomorrow with southwest winds around 15 mph on the ridges and a good chance for a little more snow in the afternoon. Accumulations look insignificant with an inch or less in each period. Unsettled but unimpressive weather will continue through the week, with a potential Pacific storm on Saturday...

Check out our one-stop weather page........HERE

General Announcements

You can now receive advisories by email for each region in the state including Logan. Go here for details.

Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools....... Utah Avalanche Center mobile app

Please submit snow and avalanche observations from your ventures in the backcountry HERE. You can call us at 801-524-5304 or email HERE, or include #utavy in your Instagram or Tweet us @UAClogan. To report avalanche activity in the Logan Area or to contact the local avalanche forecaster call me, Toby, at 435-757-7578.

I'll regularly update this advisory on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by about 7:30. This advisory is produced by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. It describes only general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.