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Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Greg Gagne
Issued by Greg Gagne on
Friday morning, January 26, 2018

Recent winds and storm snow have created a CONSIDERABLE hazard at the mid and upper elevations on slopes facing north through east for triggering a persistent slab avalanche. A CONSIDERABLE hazard also exists at the upper elevations for triggering a fresh wind drift.

Fortunately, there is plenty of safe, excellent riding today in the new snow on lower-angled terrain, although most reports describe a shallow - or nonexistent - snowpack at the lower elevations.

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Weather and Snow

Temperatures in the Ogden mountains this morning are in the teens and low 20's F. Winds are out of the west/southwest, gusting into the 20's mph. 2-7" of snowfall has been reported.

Recent Avalanches

No avalanche activity was reported from the backcountry on Thursday, with only a couple of observations from the few intrepid souls that ventured out. You can check out all field observations from the Ogden mountains by clicking HERE.

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

I just don't trust it. Persistent weak layers can be found down 1-3', and yesterday's strong west/southwest winds, as well as new snow (with nearly 0.5" water in places) have put a new load onto these slopes, stressing these weak layers once again.

The aspects I am most concerned about are 9000' and above, facing north through east. This structure is easy to identify if you pull out your shovel:

- a denser (stronger) slab from 1 - 2.5 feet thick;

- on top of loose, sugary (weaker) faceted snow.

This is all sitting on top of a hard ice crust.

Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Yesterday's strong west/southwest winds created drifts at the mid and upper elevations. The new snowfall will cover these drifts, making them difficult to identify. These fresh drifts will primarily be found at the mid and upper elevations on aspects facing north through southeast. However, channeling around terrain features may have created deposits on almost any aspect.

Although I think the biggest issue with these fresh wind drifts is where they have overloaded persistent weaknesses on northerly aspects, drifts may also be sensitive where they also formed on top of weaker, low-density snowfall from this past week. Monday's micro wind-event on Cutler Ridge highlights how sensitive these fresh drifts may be.

Westerly winds today will have fresh snow to work with, and will create new drifts, especially at the upper elevations.

Additional Information

Today will be one to savor. Be sure to bottle it up as you'll want to crack it open in July. Partly sunny with high clouds and temperatures in the low teens at the mid and upper elevations, and rising into the low 20's F at the lower elevations. West/southwest winds gusting into the 20's mph and into the 30's at the upper elevations, likely exceeding 40 mph on top of Mt. Ogden. We may get a trace of new snow.

Enjoy it while you can as temperatures warm this weekend, with riming possible.

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This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. 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 occur.

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