Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed for
Sunday, January 6, 2013

Heightened avalanche conditions exist in places, and there are areas with a MODERATE (or level 2) danger, mainly at upper elevations. You could trigger wind slab avalanches in drifted terrain or loose, potentially long running dry and moist sluffs on very steep slopes. Use normal caution and continue to practice safe travel protocols.

Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
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Special Announcements

The friends of the Utah Avalanche Center in Logan is presenting a snowmobile avalanche safety clinic in Logan, with a classroom session on Thursday.January 17 and a field session up at Tony Grove on Saturday January 19. Save the date, call 435-757-2794 for more information, and visit our website to register..... HERE

Weather and Snow

You'll find good, fast, re-crystallized powder conditions today in many areas. Unfortunately, sun and wind crusted the snow surface in many areas, and you'll find the best "loud powder" conditions limited to sheltered terrain facing the northern half of the compass... The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports 19 degrees this morning, 46 inches of total snow, and 80% of average water content for the date. The CSI Logan Peak weather station reports west-northwest winds, with wind speeds averaging in the upper teens, and I'm reading 15 degrees at the 9700' station.

Recent Avalanches

Other than a few long-running loose sluffs and small manageable shallow wind slabs, no avalanches have been reported locally in 2013....

Here's a link to our avalanche list...

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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Shallow wind slabs exist on the lee side of major ridges and in and around terrain features like cliff bands, sub-ridges, gullies, and scoops. Drifts are building on weak sugary faceted surface snow. In some areas, stiffer wind slabs formed on steep exposed slopes. These may be stubborn and could allow you to get out on them before releasing.. Avoid stiff wind drifts on steep slopes. These often appear smooth or rounded and chalky looking, and they sometimes sound rather hollow. Cracking in drifted snow is a red flag requiring reevaluation of your route. Southwest winds will increase tonight and tomorrow, and wind slabs will probably become more widespread, thicker, and less manageable in exposed terrain....

Avalanche Problem #2
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Triggered loose dry sluffs are likely on very steep slopes with loose re-crystallized powder, and some of these could pick up energy and more snow in descent on longer sustained slopes.. Some recent sluffs piled up fairly deeply in gullies below steep slopes.. Solar warming caused a few natural loose moist sluffs in steep terrain yesterday, and it could be easy to trigger wet sluffs on steep sunny slopes again today. Although loose sluffs are a generally manageable threat, they could be a problem if you're caught looking up at them from below or are swept off a cliff or into trees, or caught in a gully. Keep an eye out above and behind you as you descend, so you can move out of the way of any moving snow. Be sure to only expose one person at a time in steep terrain, and move well out of the way and out of terrain traps below your partners before you give the all clear signal....

Additional Information

Once you escape the foul air trapped in the valley, you'll find pleasant sunny conditions in the mountains today with high temperatures approaching 31 degrees and a light west breeze. A split Pacific storm system will bring clouds and stronger southwest winds on Sunday and Sunday night, but don't get your hopes up for any snow or a break in the inversion until next week. Looks like we might see a little snow Monday night and Tuesday, but accumulations will be fairly light with 2 to 4 inches forecast.

Check out the Logan Mountain Weather page...

General Announcements

Remember your information from the backcountry can save lives. If you see or trigger an avalanche in the backcountry or see anything else we should know about, please send us your snow and avalanche observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or email by clicking HERE. In the Logan Area you can contact Toby Weed directly at 435-757-7578.

I will update this advisory on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by around 7:30...

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