Logan Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Toby Weed

BOTTOM LINE

Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)


Danger Rose Tutorial

With heavy new snow and rain,  the overall avalanche danger has risen to MODERATE.  This means there are dangerous conditions in some terrain features, and triggered avalanches are possible.  Rain at lower elevations is saturating the snow, and loose wet avalanches are probable on some steep slopes. So, there is a CONSIDERABLE danger, primarily on shady lower elevation slopes with previously soft, now saturated snow.  There's a MODERATE danger and you could trigger new snow avalanches at mid and upper elevations in some areas, most likely on slopes with significant deposits of fresh wind drifted snow steeper than about 35 degrees.

Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully, and use wise travel techniques....


CURRENT CONDITIONS

The Tony Grove Snotel reports around 8 inches of heavy new snow containing 1.4 inches of water.  Overnight winds have been from the west and appear to be calming a bit.

You'll find continued mild temperatures, clouds, and showers in the mountains today with mashed potato-like coastal snow conditions.


RECENT ACTIVITY

This afternoon, I noticed a handfull of large wet avalanches in Logan Canyon near Temple Fork and above the Dugway section...Wet avalanches gouging to the ground, and in one case, crossing the river on steep low elevation slopes with saturated, structureless snow.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 8 hours.

With all this rain down low, loose wet avalanches are probable on some steep slopes today.  Avoid terrain traps like gullies, cut banks, and steep slopes above trees.  Snow that was soft yesterday before the rain will be the most active, so wet avalanches on steep treed slopes at lower elevations are a good bet.


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

On some steep slopes, heavy new snow may not bond very well to underlying sugary or faceted surface snow.  Slopes with significant deposits of wind drifted snow are the most suspect. 

Pay attention to obvious signs of instability like even small natural avalanches or shooting cracks.

Deep slab releases are still unlikely today, but the chances of these deadly monsters reemerging will increase with the load of new snow we seem likely to get in the next week.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Today's rain and wet snowfall should diminish this morning, with another 1 to 3 inches of snowfall likely...Expect cloudy conditions overnight tonight and a good shot of snow tomorrow under a continued tropical moisture fed southwest flow.  A foot or so is possible at upper elevations and temperatures and the rain/snow line should drop, allowing for more snowfall...

Productive weather pattern looks to continue into next week.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center and Cache Honda Yamaha invite you to attend an Avalanche Class for Snowmobilers. The class will start Thursday January 29th at 6:30 at CHY (3765 N. Hwy 91, Hyde Park), with an on-the-snow field session on Saturday, January 31st.  Cost: $25 per person for both sessions or $10 for Thursday's classroom session only. To register, please contact Cache Honda Yamaha at 563-6291.

New***   Click HERE for the online version of the Know Before You Go video.

The Utah Avalanche Center depends on contributions from users like you to support our work....You can support the Utah Avalanche Center and get discount lift tickets to  Beaver Mountain (here).  All proceeds from sales will support us through the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center....

Also the friends still have a few items left over from the Logan fundraiser and you can pick up a few killer deals right now..Here are the items that are still available: -

(2) One day passes to Park City Powder Cats to be used during January or March and before April 15th, 2009.  Retail value is $449 each. Suggested Donation: $225 each

-Men's Medium Patagonia Figure 4 Jacket Grey    Suggested Donation: $95

-Yamaha Leather Snowmobile Jacket Men's Medium     Black with Blue marks   Suggested Donation: $100

100% of your donation will support the Utah Avalanche Center.  Email loganavalanche@gmail.com if you are interested in any of these items.

The information in 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. 

I will update this advisory by 7:30 Friday morning.


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.


This advisory provided by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with:

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority and the friends of the La Sal Avalanche Center. See our Sponsors Page for a complete list.