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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed for
Thursday, March 10, 2022
Avalanche accidents are likely in the backcountry. Heavy snow and drifting overloaded slopes with a buried persistent weak layer and created dangerous avalanche conditions. The danger remains HIGH on upper and mid elevation slopes facing northwest, north, and northeast. People who venture into avalanche terrain are likely trigger dangerous 1 to 3 foot deep slab avalanches failing on a buried layer of faceted snow. A CONSIDERABLE danger exists on many other slopes and at all elevations. Natural avalanches are possible, and human triggered wind slab and loose avalanches of storm snow are likely in steep terrain.
  • Avoid and stay out from under drifted north facing slopes steeper than 30°
  • Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision making are essential.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Avalanche Bulletin
The avalanche danger is HIGH.
  • Dangerous and deadly human-triggered avalanches breaking 1-3 feet deep are very likely. Natural avalanches are likely. Traveling in avalanche terrain is NOT recommended.
  • A very dry January/February created very weak faceted snow buried on many northerly facing slopes. This weak layer has already been producing avalanches in many areas. Additional snowfall and wind-drifting overloaded this weak layer, causing larger avalanches.
  • This dangerous situation is not normal for this time of year, and these are unusual avalanche conditions.
Special Announcements
Head's up! Need a refill for your airbag canister? Arva and Al's will be doing a one night “Free Refills” for any brand of refillable air canister on Friday, March 11 from 6-8PM. Canisters can be dropped off before the event also.
Thanks to the generous support of our local resorts and Ski Utah, discount lift tickets are now available. Support the UAC while you ski at the resorts this season. Tickets are available HERE.
Weather and Snow
Copious heavy snow and drifting from fairly strong west winds overloaded slopes with buried persistent weak layers consisting of sugary faceted snow. Dangerous avalanche conditions exist on many slopes facing the northern half of the compass, and natural avalanches are possible. People are likely to trigger dangerous avalanches if they venture into avalanche terrain today.
A skier triggered this eye opening slab avalanche Tuesday evening in Providence Canyon, as the slab finally became cohesive enough to fail on a widespread buried persistent weak layer.
This is from Steep Hollow Monday, (3-7-2022 not 3-6)
The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports 0°F this morning, and there is 79 inches of total snow at the site, with 88% of normal SWE for the date. The storm total was around 20 inches, with 1.9" SWE, mostly occurred on Tuesday night. Winds out of the north-northwest are blowing about 13 mph at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, where it is -3°F, and the wind chill value is -22°F.
  • It will be nice, cold, and sunny today in the mountains. Expect high temperatures at 8500' around 12°F, with 10 to 15 mph north-northwest winds pushing wind chill values around -21°F. Keep in mind that these very cold temperatures add a level of risk and make everything, including rescue operations, more difficult.
  • Expect mostly clear skies tonight, with temperatures dropping to around -3°F, and with 9 to 13 mph wind from the northwest, wind chill values will be as low as -19°F.
  • Nice, mostly sunny and cold weather is expected tomorrow and Saturday, with westerly winds increasing a bit. There is a chance for few inches of snow on Sunday.
Recent Avalanches
  • Parties in the Logan Zone reported numerous red flags in the backcountry in the last couple days, including widespread audible collapsing and cracking.
  • A skier triggered a scary slab avalanche that failed on a sugary persistent weak layer Tuesday evening in the the Dog Leg avalanche path in Providence Canyon.
Check out all the recent backcountry observations and many recent avalanche reports from across Utah HERE
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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
The fresh snow is creating a more cohesive slab on widespread preexisting layers of very weak faceted snow. In many areas the overload of heavy new snow could be enough to activate these layers and cause dangerous slab avalanches. On slopes facing the north half of the compass, people are likely to trigger soft slab avalanches failing on a buried persistent weak layer. Red flags of snow instability are apparent in the backcountry, avalanches have been observed locally, and we've received reports of extensive audible collapses and cracking.
  • Avalanches could be triggered remotely or from a distance.
  • Collapsing and cracking are red flags indicating unstable snow and a persistent weak layer.
Avalanche Problem #2
New Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Small soft slab and loose avalanches of storm snow are likely for people to trigger on slopes steeper than 30° at all elevations today.
Loose dry avalanches (or sluffs) of fresh snow are likely in sheltered terrain at all elevations on very steep slopes. Despite the cold, when the intense March sun pops out it could moisten the fresh snow surface and it could make the surface snow sticky and prone to sluffing. On sustained slopes, sluffs could pile up deeply, especially in terrain traps like gullies, sinks, and benches.
  • Manage loose avalanches by staying out of constricting terrain, like drainage gullies, and moving out of the fall line so you don't get caught by your own sluff.
  • Avoid being caught and pulled into terrain traps below you like trees, gullies, or benches.
Avalanche Problem #3
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Westerly winds during the storm were plenty strong enough to create significant drifts and soft slabs up to a couple feet deep. Drifting overloaded slopes with buried persistent weak layers and increased the depth and weight of a developing slab layer. Avalanches of wind drifted snow are possible on slopes at all elevations, but are most likely at upper elevations on northwest through east facing slopes.
Additional Information
  • Now is a great time to practice your avalanche rescue skills. Thanks to the generous support of Northstar, the Franklin Basin Beacon Training Park is up and running. The park is located directly west of the parking lot and is open for anyone to use. All you need is your beacon and probe. Please do not dig up the transmitters.
  • Always follow safe backcountry travel protocols. Go one person at a time in avalanche terrain, while the rest of your party watches from a safe area. (practice anytime while traveling on or under backcountry slopes steeper than 30°)
  • Check your avalanche rescue equipment, change your batteries, and practice often with your backcountry partners.
    Check slope angles, and to avoid avalanche terrain stay off of and out from under slopes steeper than 30° and adjacent slopes. Video Here
General Announcements
Special thank you to Polaris and Northstar...Video Here
Who's up for some free avalanche training? Get a refresher, become better prepared for an upcoming avalanche class, or just boost your skills. Go to https://learn.kbyg.org/ and scroll down to Step 2 for a series of interactive online avalanche courses produced by the UAC.
  • Check out all the upcoming education classes and clinics HERE.
  • Please submit your observations from the backcountry HERE.
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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