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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Monday morning, March 13, 2017

Warmth and solar heating will create heightened loose wet avalanche conditions at low elevations and on sunny slopes. Wet slab, cornice fall and glide avalanches are possible and will become more likely in the next few days if nighttime temperatures remain above or near freezing. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully. Stay off of and out from under large cornices, glide cracks, and steep slopes with warmth-softened saturated snow.

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Special Announcements

Discount lift tickets for Beaver Mountain, Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and the Central Wasatch resorts are donated by the resorts to benefit the Utah Avalanche Center. Details and order information here.

Weather and Snow

Temperatures hovered around freezing last night, but clear skies allowed the surface snow to refreeze. The Tony Grove Snotel ​at 8400' reports 33 F and 116" of total snow, with 169% of average SWE (Snow Water Equivalent)​. It's 26 F and a 22 mph southwest wind at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station. Rising temperatures and Solar warming will quickly soften the snow surface, and heightened wet avalanche conditions will develop in sunny terrain by afternoon.

Recent Avalanches
  • A large wet or persistent slab avalanche was observed Saturday near White Pine Lake. The scary 4-foot deep and 200' wide avalanche probably occurred sometime Saturday morning and was either triggered by natural cornice fall or a side-hilling sledder. See report here
  • There was a good deal of natural loose wet avalanche activity in the Logan Zone late last week, and some over the weekend in sunny terrain.

The large White Pine Lake avalanche on 3/11. There is potential for similar avalanches as temperatures climb above 50 F at 9000' in the next few days.

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Avalanche Problem #1
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
  • Warm temperatures and solar heating will create heightened wet avalanche conditions as snow softens on steep slopes. Triggered loose wet avalanches are possible during the heat of the day.
  • Watch for signs of wet instability like roller balls, pin-wheels and natural sluffs under trees or rock outcroppings.
  • Avoid being on or under steep slopes during warm weather if snow is wet and sloppy.

Wet loose avalanches visible Sunday in Pine Canyon in the Wellsville Mountain Wilderness.

Avalanche Problem #2
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
  • Wet slab avalanches up to 4' deep are possible as previously drifted upper and mid elevation slopes are warmed and existing hard slabs soften in the heat. A few slab avalanches failing on weak surface snow and running on a hard rain-crust formed in mid-February have occurred in the last couple weeks on upper elevation east facing slopes in the Central and Northern Bear River Range.
  • Glide avalanches are possible in steep terrain and will become more likely as mountain temperatures increase and remain above freezing in the next couple days.

Avoid being under glide cracks like these on Wilderness Peak. In warm weather, you never know when a glide avalanche might occur.

Avalanche Problem #3
Cornice
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
  • Warm temperatures will cause cornices to buckle and calve naturally. Large cornice falls are most likely during the heat of the day, but possible anytime.
  • Huge, overhanging cornices can break further back than expected and trigger avalanches on slopes below.
Additional Information

Warm and dry high pressure aloft will center over the Great Basin through midweek. A weakening weather disturbance will cross northern Utah and southwest Wyoming Thursday.

Weather Forecast: Tony Grove Lake (41.897,-111.6535), Elevation: 8800'
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 46. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 22 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. West southwest wind 10 to 18 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 51. West southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. West wind 8 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 52. Southwest wind 8 to 11 mph.



General Announcements

Do you buy groceries at Smiths? When you register your Smith’s rewards card with their Community Rewards program, they will donate to the Utah Avalanche Center whenever you make a purchase. It's easy, only takes a minute, and doesn't cost you anything. Details here.

If you sign up for AmazonSmile and designate the Utah Avalanche Center as your favorite charity, they will donate a portion of everything you spend to the UAC. It doesn't cost you a penny and we'd really appreciate the help.

Your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche observations. You can call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include @utavy in your Instagram. In the Logan Area you can reach me at 435-757-7578

We will update this advisory regularly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by about 7:30.

This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.

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