Forecast: Ogden Area Mountains - Utah Avalanche Center

Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Issued by Trent Meisenheimer on
Saturday morning, February 8, 2025

The avalanche danger is MODERATE on all mid and upper-elevation steep slopes for slab avalanches. Here, avalanches can fail within the new snow or at the old/new snow interface. On northerly facing terrain, these avalanches could step down into buried weak layers of faceted snow, making them more dangerous. Human-triggered avalanches 1 to 3 feet deep are possible today.

Low

Moderate

Considerable

High

Extreme

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Weather and Snow

A nice shot of new snow for the Ogden area. The storm started out of the south with strong winds and plenty of graupel snow (round pellets). Around 2:00 PM, the cold front pushed through, the winds diminished, and temperatures dropped. 24-hour storm totals range from 4 to 10 inches of new snow containing 0.80 to 1.18 inches of water.

This morning, the wind blows from the west at speeds of 5-10 mph with gusts into the 20s across the upper elevations. Mountain temperatures range from 10 to 20 °F. This afternoon, clouds will increase, and we will see the winds switch back to the west-southwest and blow 10-15 mph with gusts into the 20s as a small storm moves in late this afternoon. This storm could bring a couple more inches of snow, and temperatures will climb into the mid-20s.

Riding conditions: 5 stars (for this year anyway)

Recent Avalanches

No new avalanche activity was reported yesterday. Derek DeBruin and Cage Vigil submitted observations of avalanche activity along Ben Lomond from this past week.

Type

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Likelihood

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Description

With 4 to 10 inches of new snow, it's hard to know precisely how touchy the new snow will be this morning. Today we could see avalanches fail within the new snow or at the new/old snow interface. We could also see avalanches step down into our January buried facets making these deeper and more dangerous (see pwl). Use test slopes, slope cuts, and shovel tilt tests to see how this new snow is behaving.

Type

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Likelihood

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Description

Northern Utah has seen strong wind for over a week now, and yesterday's pre-frontal southwest wind was no exception. The new snow will have buried old hard drifts and formed new soft slabs of wind-blown snow across the mid and upper elevations. Any fresh wind drift may fail at the existing snow surface or on slopes facing northwest through east; they could step down 1-3 feet deep into buried weak layers of faceted snow.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

There are two buried persistent weak layers (PWL) in the snowpack:

1. The upper layer buried down 12-24 inches formed during cold, clear weather in late January and has been buried by recent storms and wind-drifted snow. Today, this layer could become active with the additional water weight we have added in the past 24 hours. Avalanches 1 to 3 feet deep are possible.

2. The lower layer, near the ground, formed in December and has caused large avalanches, including one fatality on Beer Hill, Monte Cristo. This layer is most problematic in steep rocky terrain or on repeater slopes that previously avalanched this winter. Avalanches up to 2 to 4 feet deep are possible.

General Announcements

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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.

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