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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Saturday morning, February 8, 2025
The danger is CONSIDERABLE on drifted upper and mid-elevation slopes steeper than 30°. Dangerous avalanche conditions exist, natural avalanches are possible, and people will likely trigger soft, freshly formed wind slabs of new snow or hard, older wind slabs failing on a persistent weak layer buried 2 to 3 feet deep.
  • Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision-making are essential for safe backcountry travel today.
  • Avoid travel on or under steep drifted slopes and ridge-top cornices.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Weather and Snow
Upper elevation terrain in the Central Bear River Range picked up several inches of new snow and graupel yesterday and about 6 inches of heavy snow (mostly graupel) Wednesday. The fresh snow came in on a dirty melt/freeze-crust from the heat and rain earlier in the week and greatly improved riding conditions. We've found nice, fast shallow powder or graupel-on-crust riding conditions, especially on sheltered low angled slopes.
Heavy snow from last weekend's storm and extensive drifting by strong winds from the southwest overloaded a widespread layer of pre-existing weak snow. Avalanche conditions remain dangerous in drifted terrain, especially at upper elevations on slopes facing northwest through southeast. Hard wind slab avalanches failing on a sugary, persistent weak layer buried 2 to 3 feet deep are likely, and softer wind slabs from yesterday's accumulations could be quite sensitive. Low-elevation slopes facing the south half of the compass are bare of snow or have only very shallow snow cover.
-The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400 feet reports 4 inches of new snow with 1.0" SWE from yesterday. It's 15° F, with 71 inches of total snow. At our Card Canyon weather station at 8800 feet, it's 10° F, and there is about 3 inches of heavy new snow, with 49 inches total.
-At the CSI Logan Peak weather station at 9700 feet, winds are blowing from the west 17 to 21 mph, it's 7° F, and the wind chill is -11° F. On Paris Peak, at 9500 feet, it is 6° F, and the winds are blowing from the west-southwest 14 to 23 mph creating a -11° F wind chill value.
There is a 50% chance of snow today, with 1 to 2 inches of accumulation possible at 8500 feet. It will be mostly cloudy, with a high temperature near 21° F, and winds blowing from the west 7 to 15 mph. Tonight, skies will be partly cloudy, with a low around 7° F, winds from the west-northwest blowing 6 to 14 mph, and wind chill values as low as -3° F. Tomorrow with be partly sunny, with a high near 21° F, winds from the west 7 to 11 mph, and wind chill values as low as -4° F.
Partly sunny skies, calmer winds, cooler temperatures, and periods of light snow are in store for the first part of next week, with the next significant snowfall expected Thursday and 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
  • A rider was caught, carried, and mostly buried in the Franklin Basin Area yesterday. The buried rider, with only a hand and a bit of their deployed airbag sticking out of the snow, was found and rescued by a companion. Report is HERE. (we hope to get more details and visit the site today)
  • Natural wind slab avalanches around 2 feet deep from the weekend storm were observed on many drifted easterly facing slopes across the zone in the past few days.
  • Large natural avalanches of wind-drifted snow were observed early this week in the Wellsvilles and the Central Bear River Range. These, on generally east-facing slopes up high, were 1 to 3 feet deep and 100 to 800 feet wide.
  • Numerous red flags of instability were reported earlier in the week by observers, including long shooting cracks and extensive whumpfs.
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
We advise staying clear of steep, wind-drifted slopes today. Winds out of the west picked up again significantly yesterday, and there was plenty of easily transportable snow for it to drift. Several inches of snow fell yesterday, and there was already a few inches of soft snow from Wednesday capping the stout crust on the snow surface during the warmth earlier in the week. Today, human-triggered soft and harder wind slab avalanches are likely.
  • Wind slabs are most likely to be found on the lee side of major ridges and corniced slopes facing northwest through southeast. 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.
  • Hard wind slabs sometimes allow a person to get well out on them before suddenly releasing. Softer wind slabs of yesterday's storm snow, 1 to 2 feet deep, could be pretty sensitive and easy for a person to trigger.
  • Many thick wind slabs formed last weekend on weak faceted surface snow, now a buried persistent weak layer, and instability could last for a while.
Avalanche Problem #2
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Before last weekend, the Logan area mountains developed a widespread layer of weak and sugary surface snow. Drifting from last weekend's storm built thick wind slabs on the weak snow, and it is now a persistent weak layer buried 1 to 3 feet deep. Even in sheltered terrain, slab avalanches failing on this persistent weak layer may be possible for people to trigger.
  • Avalanches could be triggered remotely (from a distance) or from below.
  • Audible collapses of whumpfs and shooting cracks are sure signs of instability.
Additional Information
This is a look at the site of Monday's tragic fatal avalanche accident on Beer Hill in the Monte Cristo area.
The Preliminary Report for Monday's Monte Cristo avalanche fatality is HERE. Our condolences go out to the victim's friends and family and all those affected by this tragic accident. UAC staff visited the site Tuesday and a full report is forthcoming.
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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