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Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Evelyn Lees
Issued by Evelyn Lees for
Tuesday, April 2, 2013

The avalanche danger is mostly LOW, increasing to MODERATE with day time heating. Shallow, but long running new snow sluffs will be easy to trigger. Avoid gullies and steep slopes at any elevation when the snow becomes punchy and wet where you are.

Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
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Weather and Snow

Winter is back – a band of wrap around moisture stalled out over the Salt Lake and Park City mountains overnight, with storm totals a fairly even 9 to 13” at the upper elevations. Densities average about 8 to 10% at the higher elevations. Temperatures are in the mid-20s to low 30s this morning. The northwest to westerly winds are light, averaging in the 5 to 10 mph range, with even the high peaks averaging less than 10 mph.
To the north and south of the active band, the Ogden and Provo mountains averaged about 1 to 3” of new snow, with northeasterly winds in the Ogden mountains this morning, and southwesterly winds in the Provo mountains.

Recent Avalanches

Yesterday, the new snow was very sensitive, and I found it easy to trigger new snow sluffs in the 2” of new snow. In the upper elevations of Little Cottonwood Canyon, which had received 4” of new snow by yesterday afternoon, there was actually a small natural avalanche cycle.

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Avalanche Problem #1
New Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

I expect shallow, new snow avalanches to be easy to trigger on steep slopes of all aspects. The surprise may be how much snow these slides entrain and how far they run, especially on long, steep slopes or in confined paths like gullies. They could be just large enough to know you off balance if you were hit from above.

These avalanches could also be a strange hybrid in places – start out as dry snow slabs, and by the time they reach the bottom of a long slope, have some characteristics of a wet snow slide.

Avalanche Problem #2
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Start and finish your backcountry travels early today – day time heating and direct or filtered sun will rapidly warm the new snow. Wet sluffs will become easy to trigger as the day progresses. Again, these slides could be longer running than you would expect.

  • The old snow at the mid and low elevations remained damp, insulated by new snow. Where the snow is slushy, punchy, or you’re sinking in, carefully stay on low angle slopes, avoiding steep terrain and gullies.
  • Packed trails, roads, skin and boot tracks give a false sense of snow strength – get off to the side to see how wet the snow really is.
  • Cornices may be overloaded by the weight of the new snow, and can be triggered from a distance or break back further than expected, so give them a wide berth.
Additional Information

Light snowfall will continue this morning as the low pressure system slowly moves to the east. An additional 1 to 3” of snow is possible, with less frequent, but perhaps more intense, snow showers this afternoon. Occasional sun is also possible this afternoon. Temperatures will warm to near 40 at 8,000’ and to near 30 at 10,000’. The northerly winds will remain light today, averaging in the 5 to 15 mph range, with occasional gusts along the highest ridges to 30 mph. High pressure with a warming trend will rebuild over the area on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by an unsettled pattern Friday through the weekend, with periods of snow possible.

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If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry - especially if you are adjacent to a ski area – please call the following teams to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

Salt Lake and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033), Canyons Resort Dispatch (435-615-3322)

Ogden – Snowbasin Patrol Dispatch (801-620-1017)

Powder Mountain Ski Patrol Dispatch (801-745-3772 ex 123)

Provo – Sundance Patrol Dispatch (801-223-4150)

Dawn Patrol Forecast Hotline, updated by 05:30: 888-999-4019 option 8.

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Daily observations are frequently posted by 10 pm each evening.

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UDOT canyon closures UDOT at (801) 975-4838

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Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet.

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For a print version of this advisory click HERE.

This advisory is produced by the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. It describes only general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist. Specific terrain and route finding decisions should always be based on skills learned in a field-based avalanche class.

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