Heavy snowfall starting this evening and continuing through Sunday will increase the avalanche danger Sunday and Monday in the backcountry.

There's a level 2 or Moderate danger in the Logan Zone. Heightened avalanche conditions exist, and dangerous triggered avalanches are still possible. You could trigger wind slab avalanches in upper elevation terrain exposed to drifting, and large and destructive hard slab avalanches are possible on isolated slopes with generally shallow snow and poor snow structure, especially on very steep slopes facing the northern half of the compass. Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully, and continue to avoid very steep slopes facing the northern half of the compass and drifted slopes at upper elevations. Once again, you'll find safer conditions in sheltered areas, on south facing slopes, at lower elevations, and in lower angled terrain..

Riding conditions are good and smooth, with mostly supportable snow under several inches of fluffy powder, and you can ride almost anywhere you want to.. Northwest winds at upper elevations drifted the snow around a bit in the Central Bear River Range yesterday morning, and observers mention rimed snow in the Logan Peak Area. The shallow powder is certainly still nice and fast, and you can find great conditions in much safer lower angled terrain... It's 20 degrees up at the 8400' Tony Grove Snotel, and there is 69 inches of total snow on the ground containing 78% of normal water for the date. The Campbell Scientific Logan Peak weather station at 9700' reports 16 degrees this morning, with west winds averaging around 15 mph...

We could see evidence of numerous loose dry avalanches or sluffs Thursday on steep slopes at upper elevations in the Tony Grove Area. One of these, in Castle Rock, looks to have stepped down to last week's weak snow surface, perhaps taking out a shallow soft slab as it ran. Earlier in the week, we triggered a couple large audible collapses in lightly traveled mid elevation northwest facing terrain with a generally thin snowpack. Very weak faceted snow or depth hoar still plagues many slopes in the area, and dangerous hard slab avalanches are still quite possible in isolated areas.

(go to our current conditions page for more details on local activity and reports of other recent avalanches in Utah)

Snowfall will become heavy at times starting this evening and continuing through much of tonight.. Expect daytime high temperatures of around 27 degrees at 8500' with 10 to 20 mph southwest winds and snow possible this afternoon. 6 to 12 inches of accumulation is currently forecast by Sunday afternoon, and more is certainly possible.. The bulk of the snowfall and moderately strong gusty southwest winds will occur tonight. It looks like more snow will fall in the Central and Southern Mountains, with a foot or less of accumulation likely in mountain areas north of I-80. Regardless. this storm will certainly cause a general increase in backcountry avalanche danger in the Logan Zone and across the state.... It will also open the door for a moist and breezy weather pattern, which will bring a continuing threat of more snowfall and winds to our area through much of next week.

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Please send us your observations from the backcountry especially if you see or trigger an avalanche, but also even if you don't.. go to avalanche and snow observations. You can also call me directly at 435-757-7578 or leave us a message at our office, 801-524-5304.... And, you can always send us a simple email by clicking HERE

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.