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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed for
Friday, April 7, 2023
Heightened avalanche conditions are found at all elevations on backcountry slopes steeper than 30°. Warming temperatures and powerful sun will elevate the danger to CONSIDERABLE in some areas. Large natural cornice falls are likely, and these or people could trigger 2' to 4' thick avalanches of wind drifted snow on drifted upper elevation slopes. Wet avalanches will be increasingly likely in sunny terrain and on all slopes at lower elevations.
Evaluate snow and terrain carefully and make conservative decisions. *Roof avalanches and wet avalanches on steep slopes at very low elevations may threaten children, pets, and animals.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements
We've released the accident report for the 3-27-23 Pole Canyon avalanche. It's HERE
Weather and Snow
Today the sun will be out in full force, and temperatures will be warmer then they've been in quite a while. Solar warming will moisten the snow surface, quickly soften crusts from overnight and elevate the danger of loose wet avalanches. Seasonal warmth will also warm up and soften the snow on shady low elevation north facing slopes where there is a ton of snow this spring. Winds from the southeast overnight and this morning are moderate but plenty strong enough to drift fresh snow in windy terrain at upper elevations. Its likely that people could trigger large cornice falls or 2' to 4' thick, and 100' wide slab avalanches of wind drifted snow.
The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports 21°F and a good deal of settlement yesterday, with now 159" of total snow. The wind is blowing from the south-southeast 23 mph at the CSI Logan Peak weather station at 9700'.
Here is the NWS point forecast (36 hrs) for Logan Canyon:
Today: Increasing clouds, with a high near 42. Wind chill values as low as 7. East northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. East northeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 43. Light south southwest wind becoming west southwest 5 to 9 mph in the morning.
Daytime high temperatures are expected rise in the next couple days, and it's expected to be over 50° F in Logan Canyon on Sunday and 60° F on Monday.
Recent Avalanches
  • A close call occurred on Tuesday in Hillyard Canyon, Cub River Idaho, when a rider triggered a soft slab avalanche, deployed airbag, and was caught and carried face down around 100'. Party had to probe for the sled which was found completely buried about 5' deep. report is HERE
  • We noticed a few, pretty good sized natural wet avalanches that ran into the Logan River just down from Temple Fork yesterday afternoon.
  • For a list of recent avalanches in the Logan Zone go HERE
  • There was lots of natural avalanche activity in the mountains of Northern Utah this week. Find a list of all recent observations & avalanches from across Utah HERE.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Cornice
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
This morning, winds are blowing moderately but increasing a bit from the southwest. It was very windy over the weekend, with strong westerly winds. Imagine dangerous conditions still exist up high, especially in windy terrain, with huge mouse trap sensitive cornices, and thick, recently formed wind slabs. Large cornice falls and 1' to 3' thick soft and harder wind slabs are likely in windy terrain, especially at upper elevations.
  • Avoid corniced slopes and stiffer drifts on steep slopes near ridges and in and around terrain features like cliff bands, sub-ridges, mid-slope break-overs, and gully walls.
  • Evidence of instability could include cracking or collapsing, and some avalanches might be triggered remotely or from a distance.
  • The overhanging cornices on the high ridges are huge this year, and recent storms have built them further out and made them unstable, so people should stay well away and out from under them.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
  • High angle April sun and seasonal warmth could quickly moisten the new snow and rapidly increase potential for wet avalanches in sunny terrain.
  • Dangerous wet avalanche conditions are also found at low elevations, especially on shady forested slopes in steep northerly facing terrain.
  • Expect warming temperatures and intense sun to elevate the danger of wet avalanches significantly in the next few days.
Additional Information
From Hillyard Canyon on Tuesday:
From Ogden Valley on Sunday:
General Announcements
  • Please submit your observations from the backcountry HERE.
  • For a list of avalanche classes from the Utah Avalanche Center go HERE
  • For information on where you can ride your sled or snow-bike, check out this map of the winter travel plan for the Logan and Ogden Ranger Districts HERE, and a close up of the Tony Grove and Franklin Basin Areas 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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