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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Sunday morning, April 9, 2017

More than a foot of heavy new snow fell this weekend in the Bear River Range. Dangerous wind slab avalanche conditions exist at upper elevations. Triggered wind slabs are likely and storm slab and cornice fall avalanches are possible. Wet loose avalanches entraining saturated fresh snow are likely with seasonal warming on steep mid and upper elevation slopes. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully. Avoid travel in drifted upper elevation terrain.

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Special Announcements

UAC Gear Sale Fundraiser: We still have some donated gear and certificates left over from the season. Want a guided rock climbing or canyoneering trip in Moab? How about a new pair of skis for some spring ski missions? Check out our gear sale photo album to see if we have what you need. This is a fundraising sale for the Utah Avalanche Center. All proceeds benefit avalanche forecasting and education. Click here to visit the sale!

Weather and Snow

Snow and wind from a powerful Pacific storm created heightened avalanche conditions in the backcountry. The Tony Grove Snotel ​reports 19 °F and around 16 inches of new snow since Friday night. There's 109" of total snow, with 150% of average SWE (Snow Water Equivalent)​ at 8400'. A 12 mph west wind is blowing and it's 12 °F at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station. With well over a foot of new snow at upper elevtions and erratic winds overnight, dangerous wind slab avalanche conditions likely exist in drifted upper elevation terrain. For a safer option, ride the lifts at Beaver Mountain and enjoy the last day or operations.

Recent Avalanches

Riders reported natural wet loose avalanches at upper elevations in the Tony Grove Area as soon as the sun came out yesterday afternoon.

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Avalanche Problem #1
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Wind slab avalanches are likely at upper elevations. Avoid fresh drifts, which formed overnight and will continue to build with today's wind.

  • Wind slabs made up of stiffer drifted snow often look rounded and chalky and may produce hollow, drum-like sounds.
  • Avoid drifted snow on the lee side of ridges and in and around terrain features like gullies, scoops, sub-ridges, and cliff-bands.

Storm slab (or soft slab) avalanches involving the fresh snow are possible even in sheltered terrain.

  • Check the bonding between the cold new and old warmer snow.
  • Periods of sun may cause natural soft slab avalanche activity.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Wet loose avalanches involving moist fresh snow are possible on steep slopes at upper and mid elevations.

  • Watch for signs of wet instability like roller balls, pinwheels and natural sluffs under trees or rock outcroppings.
  • Avoid being on or under steep slopes if fresh surface snow is saturated.
  • Isolated glide and wet slab avalanches can occur at any time, but are most likely in the heat of the day
Avalanche Problem #3
Cornice
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Avoid being on or below large ridge-top cornices.

  • Overhanging cornices can break further back than expected and trigger avalanches on slopes below.
  • Spring warmth is causing large cornices to naturally buckle and calve.
  • Cornice falls are possible anytime, but are most likely during the heat of the day.

Large ridge-top cornices in the Logan Zone are buckling and calving during the Spring meltdown. C.Titensor 4/5/17

Additional Information

The weekend storm will move east of the region this morning. A drier west to southwest flow is expected for the first half of the week with a warming trend. Snow showers are likely this morning and 1 to 3 inches are possible. It'll be mostly cloudy today, a high temperature at 8500' of 28 °F and 16 to 26 mph west wind, gusting as high as 40 mph. Tonight will be partly cloudy, a low temperature of 20 °F and 5 to 15 mph southwest wind. Monday will be mostly sunny, a high temperature of 37 °F and 7 to 11 mph south-southwest wind.

General Announcements

Discount lift tickets for Beaver Mountain, Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and the Central Wasatch resorts are donated by the resorts to benefit the Utah Avalanche Center. Details and order information here.

Do you buy groceries at Smiths? When you register your Smith’s rewards card with their Community Rewards program, they will donate to the Utah Avalanche Center whenever you make a purchase. It's easy, only takes a minute, and doesn't cost you anything. Details here.

If you sign up for AmazonSmile and designate the Utah Avalanche Center as your favorite charity, they will donate a portion of everything you spend to the UAC. It doesn't cost you a penny and we'd really appreciate the help.

Your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche observations. You can call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include @utavy in your Instagram. In the Logan Area you can reach me at 435-757-7578

We will update this advisory regularly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by about 7:30.

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

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