Logan Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Toby Weed

AVALANCHE WARNING »

Dangerous avalanche conditions are occuring or are imminent. Backcountry travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.
Notice:

We've issued an Avalanche Warning for the mountains around Logan including the Bear River and Wellsville Ranges.... Heavy snow and strong winds overloaded buried weak layers creating dangerous avalanche conditions at upper elevations. Avoid and stay out from under steep slopes and obvious or historic avalanche paths above around 8000 feet in elevation...


BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

There is a High or level 4 danger, and dangerous triggered and natural persistent slab avalanches are likely on northerly facing slopes at upper elevations. We'll find a level 3 danger on many other slopes, meaning dangerous avalanche conditions exist and triggered storm snow and persistent slab avalanches are probable on steep slopes at mid and upper elevations... The danger of going for a ride in an avalanche is magnified by the shallowly buried and exposed rocks you could be swept over. Avoid travel in upper elevation avalanche terrain. Elsewhere, careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route finding, and conservative decision making will be crucial in the backcountry today....


RECENT ACTIVITY

No avalanches have been reported locally since we observed evidence of a large natural avalanche last Monday in the Tony Grove-Blind Hollow saddle. The persistent slab avalanche was around 100 feet wide and at least 2 feet deep...


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Last weekend's storm built a significant slab on weak faceted or sugary preexisting snow. Yesterdays storm likely added enough weight to reactivate the weak faceted layer which sits at the interface between solidly refrozen October snow and colder dense snow from early November and last weekend...

Pay attention to obvious signs of instability like collapsing and cracking, and avoid and stay out from under steep drifted slopes... Avalanches could be triggered remotely from a distance or worse, from below.....


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

In some cases yesterday's snow may not stick so well to the underlying layer, which may include small sugary grains called near surface facets and/or frost or surface hoar formed last week under those high pressure conditions... Storm snow avalanches could be a foot or two deep today and may include significant quantities of fresh snow...


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

It will be cold in the mountains today, with lingering clouds and a bit more snow possible this morning... A few more ripples will cross the region over the weekend and an inch or two of additional snow may accumulate. A high pressure system will set up over the area for the first half of next week and the next sizable storm will impact the region on around Thanksgiving Day....


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please join the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center in Logan for our annual "Pray for Snow" Fundraiser and Party on Wednesday November 30th at the Italian Place in downtown Logan. The event will feature a silent auction, raffle, great food, music, and a special presentation by Bruce Tremper, the Director of the Utah Avalanche Center.Please call 757-2794 for more info.

You have the opportunity to participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting avalanche and snow observations. You can also call us at 435-757-7578 or 801-524-5304 or email by clicking HERE

Donate to your favorite non-profit – The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center. The UAC depends on contributions from users like you to support our work.

I will update this advisory by around 7:30 in the morning on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.....

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 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.