There's fine powder and plenty of safe places to enjoy it this weekend in the Logan backcountry, but strong east winds overnight, drifted fresh snow at upper elevations into unusual and perhaps unexpected places. Avalanche conditions are a bit tricky up high, with wind drifted snow our biggest concern. I am still finding areas with poor snow structure and although unlikely, dangerous deep hard slab avalanches failing on a sugary persistent weak l;ayer near the ground remain possible for someone to trigger on isolated very steep shallow, rocky, treed, or wind-scoured slopes.
The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports 1" of new snow in the past 24 hours. It's 10º F this morning and there's 87" of total snow containing 104% of average SWE for the date. It's 1º F, at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, and east-northeast winds are diminishing bit this morning after howling along the high ridges overnight, currently averaging around 25 mph, with a 61 mph gust early this morning.
The storm system that has been impacting the area will start to shift east today. High pressure aloft will spread into the area tomorrow, with a transition to a more westerly flow for the early part of next week. Snow showers are possible this morning, but it'll be mostly sunny in the mountains today. High temperatures at 8500' are expected to be around 16º F, and with 10 to 15 mph north-northwest winds, wind chills will be around -14º F. Tonight will be partly cloudy and temperatures will be around 1º F, with 10 mph west-northwest winds, wind chills are expected to be around -16º F. Mostly cloudy tomorrow, with a chance of a little snow, high temperatures around 18º F, and gradually increasing 15 to 22 mph west winds.
Numerous natural avalanches involving heavy, drifted, and rain-saturated snow from a Valentines Day natural cycle were observed on slopes at all elevations across the Logan Zone. Observers report triggering small soft slabs and sluffs including the soft new snow in steep terrain in the past couple days.
This large natural hard slab avalanche was observed Friday afternoon in upper Providence Canyon. The crown looks to be 6 to 8 feet deep and it's about 1000' wide.
There were several large avalanches at low elevations on the east side of the Wellsville Range involving wind drifted and rain saturated new snow. This one is at around 6000' on Maple Bench.