UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!

Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed for
Tuesday, April 5, 2022
Heightened avalanche conditions and MODERATE danger exist on drifted upper and mid elevation slopes slopes steeper than 30°. Areas with more dangerous conditions may exist on easterly facing upper elevation slopes. People could trigger shallow slab avalanches of fresh wind drifted snow in exposed terrain.
*Evaluate snow and terrain carefully, especially in drifted upper and mid elevation terrain.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
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Learn how to read the forecast here
Weather and Snow
Strong winds blowing generally from the west drifted a few inches of heavy fresh snow at mid and upper elevations, creating stiffer wind slabs in lee slope avalanche starting zones and in and around terrain features in exposed terrain. People could trigger avalanches of wind drifted snow at upper and mid elevations on drifted slopes steeper than 30°.

The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports around 4 inches of heavy new snow in the last 24 hours. Temperatures dropped significantly after midnight and it's 22°F this morning. There is 58 inches of total snow at the site, containing 68% of normal SWE. Sustained and strong westerly winds drifted the new snow at upper and mid elevations. Northwest winds are currently blowing around 27 mph and gusting around 50 mph at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station.
  • Snow showers will taper off this morning, with another inch or so of accumulation possible. It will be mostly cloudy today with steady temperatures at 8500' around 22°F. Strong west winds will continue to blow around 35 mph with gusts about 50 mph at upper elevations for much of the day.
  • It will be partly cloudy tonight with low temperatures around 10°F, gradually decreasing west winds, and wind chill values around -5°F.
  • Tomorrow, we'll see mostly sunny skies, a high temperature around 34°F, and continuing west-northwest winds, blowing 15 to 20 mph and gusting up to around 30 mph.
  • Expect fair weather and fairly significant daytime warming for the last half of the week, with unsettled seasonal weather and a few chances of snow this weekend.
Recent Avalanches
No new avalanches were reported in the Logan Zone since the rapid warmup at the end of March, which caused many natural wet loose and wet slab avalanches in the Wellsville and Bear River mountain ranges.

Check out all the recent backcountry observations and many recent avalanche reports from across Utah HERE.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
People could trigger wind slab avalanches on steep upper and mid elevation slopes. Strong westerly winds will continue to drift snow today, increasing the size and hardness of drifts and wind slabs
  • Avoid fresh drifts on the lee side of major ridges and in and around terrain features like sub-ridges, scoops, gully walls, and cliff bands.
Additional Information
General Spring Advice: Wet slushy snow is generally unstable on steep slopes.
  • Get an early start, so you can get off the snow early before it is softened by seasonal midday warmth.
  • Avoid and stay out from underneath overhanging cornices.
  • If you start sinking into soft saturated snow, it's time to change your route, get off and out from under slopes steeper than 30°, or head home.
  • Now is a great time to practice your avalanche rescue skills. Thanks to the generous support of Northstar, the Franklin Basin Beacon Training Park is up and running. The park is located directly west of the parking lot and is open for anyone to use. All you need is your beacon and probe. Please do not dig up the transmitters.
  • Always follow safe backcountry travel protocols. Go one person at a time in avalanche terrain, while the rest of your party watches from a safe area. (practice anytime while traveling on or under backcountry slopes steeper than 30°)
  • Check your avalanche rescue equipment, change your batteries, and practice often with your backcountry partners.
    Check slope angles, and to avoid avalanche terrain stay off of and out from under slopes steeper than 30° and adjacent slopes. Video Here
General Announcements
Special thank you to Polaris and Northstar...Video Here
Who's up for some free avalanche training? Get a refresher, become better prepared for an upcoming avalanche class, or just boost your skills. Go to https://learn.kbyg.org/ and scroll down to Step 2 for a series of interactive online avalanche courses produced by the UAC.
  • Please submit your observations from the backcountry HERE.
This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. 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.