Forecast - Utah Avalanche Center

Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Issued by Drew Hardesty on
Friday morning, December 26, 2025

A MODERATE avalanche danger may exist along the higher elevation bands on west to north to east facing slopes. Here, it's possible that you may trigger a slab avalanche 10-18" thick that fails on a persistent weak layer (PWL) of weak sugary snow. Collapsing and cracking may or may not be present to warn of the danger. Big picture: moderate risk with very low reward.

IF we see the higher end of forecast snowfall for the day, you may encounter loose dry sluff and pockety shallow slabs of wind blown snow.

(Note that many solar aspects and low elevations have little to no snow)

Low

Moderate

Considerable

High

Extreme

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Weather and Snow

The Grinch - 1

The Wasatch - 0

Heavy rain arrived Christmas Eve into Christmas Day with up to an inch to an inch and a half of liquid precipitation to the highest peaks. As temps have now dropped into the 20s and 30s, you'll find crusts of every variety except at the lowest elevations where it remains wet and unsupportable. It gets worse: with the rain, snowstakes actually lost a couple inches of snow....and depths now sit at 10-20" across the range...if not altogether bare on some solar aspects and low elevation bands.

Currently, the radar shows light snowfall in the Ogden mountain but without any measurable accumulations. Winds are from the southwest blowing 15-20mph with gusts to 25. Along the highest peaks, winds are 35-45mph with gusts to 50.

For today, we'll see light accumulations of snow in the afternoon that may add up to 2-4". Temps will be in the upper 20s up high, the 30s down low. The rain-snow line is expected to be 7000', but falling. A good old fashioned cold front is expected tonight that may bring 6-12" of snow by tomorrow. Temps dive to the single digits in the high country by later Saturday night into Sunday.

Recent Avalanches

There were no reported avalanches yesterday in the Ogden zone. Find all recent observations HERE.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

There is a fair bit of capital U Uncertainty here in regards to the snowpack. The warmth (over the past week(s) and rain has dampened the snow from the top down and the bottom up and we have an 'isothermal' snowpack in many areas. The lingering problem, however, is that the poor structure still exists and I think it's still possible for someone to trigger an avalanche that fails on one of two layers of faceted snow (PWLs). That is, if they can collapse the superficial crusts. Time will tell how this whiplash in temperatures will affect the structure in the coming days. What I will say is that the risk matrix for getting on steep polar terrain today registers as moderate risk but with very low reward.

And...just to add more complexity to the overall picture: rain crusts are notorious for both connecting slopes together AND fostering the development of weak, faceted grains. We'll be watching with interest.

General Announcements

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.

Observations and Avalanches

Backcountry Emergency Procedures