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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Friday morning, January 31, 2025
The snow on most slopes is stable, and the avalanche danger is LOW in the backcountry this morning. However, an approaching severe winter storm will elevate the danger to MODERATE this afternoon, and people could trigger small wind slab avalanches on drifted upper elevation slopes steeper than 30°.
  • Prepare for rising avalanche danger by checking your rescue equipment and practicing companion rescue with your backcountry partners.
  • Evaluate snow and terrain carefully, and avoid being on or under drifted slopes this evening and overnight.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
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Avalanche Watch
What: Heavy snowfall and drifting by strong winds will elevate the backcountry avalanche danger over the weekend. Very dangerous conditions and HIGH avalanche danger are expected to develop in many areas.
When: We expect rapidly rising avalanche danger over the weekend. The Watch is In effect from 6am MST this morning to 6am MST Saturday.
Where: For the mountains of Northern Utah and Southeast Idaho, including the Wasatch Range, Bear River Range, and Uinta Mountains.
Impacts: This weekend, heavy snow and strong winds will overload widespread weak surface snow and elevate the avalanche danger. Dangerous human-triggered and natural avalanches are likely. People should avoid travel in backcountry avalanche terrain and avoid avalanche runouts. Stay off of and out from underneath slopes steeper than 30 degrees.
Special Announcements
Urgent battery replacement is required for anyone who received batteries from one of our participating "Batteries for Beacons" shops. Please review the replacement notice for "Batteries for Beacons" on our blog, HERE. Batteries distributed through our "Batteries for Beacons" program this year are of inadequate length. We apologize and will provide you with new batteries.
Weather and Snow
We've found decent "loud powder" in sheltered north-facing terrain, but the snow in most places is crusty and inconsistent. Recent strong winds destroyed the powder in most areas, and stiff drifts, windboard, and satrugi are widespread across the zone, even in normally sheltered and forested areas. Near-surface faceted snow is widespread at all elevations, and we found several areas with glittery surface hoar in and around avalanche start zones. Sunny slopes sport surface crusts and dampness, but very loose sugary facets lurk just beneath the surface. We expect rapidly rising danger this weekend as the storm looks to be targeting the Logan Zone.
Now is a good time for people to do a mid-season gear check. Replace your batteries and bring your backcountry partners over to the Franklin Basin Beacon Training Park to practice companion rescue. It's surprisingly good fun, especially when the backcountry snow is not so good.
-The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400 feet reports 26° F, with 54 inches of total snow. (The station sits at 85% on normal SWE for the date.) At our Card Canyon weather station at 8800 feet, it's 26° F and there is 42 inches of total snow.
-At the CSI Logan Peak weather station at 9700 feet, winds are blowing from the southwest 28 to 34 mph, and it's 26° F. On Paris Peak, at 9500 feet, it is 22° F, and the winds are blowing from the southwest 25 to 32 mph.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the mountains north of I-80 from this afternoon through Monday evening. Heavy snow is expected over the weekend in the Logan Zone, with 22 to 34 inches of accumulation in the Naomi Peak Area point forecast for tonight and Saturday, and heavy snow accumulations continuing through the weekend...
***Subject to an extreme temperature gradient caused by a prolonged dry spell with cold temperatures and clear nights, the snow near the surface has become very weak and faceted at all elevations. Heavy snow and drifting from the incoming storm will overload these sugary weak layers and significantly elevate avalanche danger.
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
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Avalanche Problem #1
Normal Caution
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
  • While the snow is stable in most areas, exceptions exist on recently drifted slopes, where some wind slabs up to two feet thick formed on weak faceted surface snow and may remain sensitive to human triggering for several days after they were formed. Watch for shooting cracks, a clear sign of instability, and be aware that some wind slab avalanches may be triggered remotely.
  • A dormant, persistent weak layer near the ground is still a potential problem in extreme mountain terrain and on outlying rocky, windswept slopes with thin snow cover. Isolated hard slab avalanches might be triggered from a "sweet spot" or a shallower part of the slab. Check out Paige's recent blog about persistent weak layer avalanches HERE.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Depending a bit on the onset timing of today's storm, small wind slab avalanches will become increasingly likely as accumulating new snow is drifted by intensifying southwest winds into upper elevation avalanche starting zones. People should avoid travel on and under steep drifted slopes this afternoon and evening as the storm elevates avalanche danger. The avalanche danger will rise significantly tonight, with both wind slab and storm slab avalanches becoming likely as significant accumulations overload slopes with widespread weak, faceted, surface snow.
Winter campers should avoid setting up camp tonight in areas that may be impacted by natural avalanches...
Additional Information
We found widespread weak snow on and near the snow surface in the Tony Grove Area Wednesday. The avalanche danger in the backcountry is LOW currently, but as an atmospheric river brings heavy snow and wind this weekend, the danger will rise significantly, and we encourage people to check the avalanche forecast before they head out into the backcountry.
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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