Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Saturday - March 14, 2015 - 6:55am
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MODERATE (level 2): Warmth and intense solar heating will create heightened wet avalanche conditions today in steep terrain as the saturated surface snow softens. Triggered persistent or wet slab avalanches are also possible on some upper and mid elevation slopes​.

  • Stay off and out from under or depart from steep slopes with sloppy, sticky, or saturated surface snow during the heat of midday.
  • Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully, especially in shallow or rocky mid and upper elevation areas and on slopes with poor snow structure.

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special announcement

****Special thanks to Buttar's of Tremonton and ArcticCat for hooking us up with the light and powerful M8000, which is featured in UAC Logan's Practicing Companion Rescue video........HERE

Paige found nice powder riding conditions on the Cat in Steep Hollow, (3-4-2015)
current conditions

Again, with a shallow and superficial surface refreeze overnight due to radiation heat loss, the snow is mostly stable on most slopes this morning. But, temperatures will climb into the low fifties at 9000', and solar warming will be rather intense on sunny slopes. Heightened avalanche conditions will develop during today's heat, with wet avalanches possible on steep slopes with warmth softened saturated snow, and isolated persistent or wet slab avalanches possible in some upper and mid elevation areas. The Tony Grove Snotel reports 64 inches of total snow containing 91% of average water for the date. Temperatures did not drop below freezing last night and it's 36 degrees at 8400' this morning, which is the overnight low temperature. Temperatures also hovered above freezing at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station It's a bit cooler lower down in Middle Sinks, with 25 degrees posted at the UDOT Hwy 89 Logan Summit, with light easterly winds overnight.

Alyson Ward enjoying spring conditions above Bear Lake yesterday, (3-13-2105).
recent activity
  • No avalanches were reported locally since last weekend, when riders triggered a few small loose wet avalanches and a skier triggered and was probably caught and took a ride in a shallow persistent slab avalanche in the Tony Grove Area.
  • We've received a report of a small triggered wet slab that occurred late yesterday (3-13-2015) in the Ogden Area backcountry.

***Visit our Backcountry Observations Page for more local information and from across the state.

Avalanche Problem 1
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

Triggered persistent or wet slab avalanches 1 to 2 feet deep and running on a thin weak layer made up of small faceted grains are possible in some mid and upper elevation terrain. Warmth and resulting creep, glide, and slab softening are conspiring to keep this threat alive. Avalanches are possible at mid and upper elevations on slopes with poor snow structure, especially in outlying areas like the Wellsville Mountain and Mt. Naomi Wildernesses, and in "extreme" or "serious" mountain terrain. Avoid previously wind-deposited snow on steep slopes and ridge-top cornices which are starting to sag and buckle in the warmth.
Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 10 hours
description

Triggered and natural wet avalanches are possible in steep terrain where the surface snow becomes soft saturated from today's renewed warmth. Both loose wet avalanches and wet slabs are possible. Of special concern are shady areas where dry cold snow may be initially warmed. Pin-wheels, roller balls, and/or observed natural loose avalanches indicate the potential for triggered wet avalanches while the snow is still warm and sloppy.

weather

It'll be mostly sunny and mild in the mountains this morning, and then clouds will start rolling in overhead by afternoon, trapping the warmth in the atmosphere. We'll see 8500' high temperatures around 51 degrees, with moderate and increasing southwest wind. Expect mostly cloudy conditions tonight with stronger southwest wind and low temperatures around 39 degrees. We'll see cloudy, breezy, and way too warm temperatures tomorrow, with 20 to 30+ mph southwest wind and mountain high temperatures pushing 60 degrees! There's a chance of snow and rain showers for the first half of next week, but temperatures will remain unseasonably warm and accumulations look minimal at best.

***Check out our one-stop weather page........HERE

general announcements

***Advisories by email for the Logan Zone.  Go here for details.

*** Utah Avalanche Center mobile app 

Discount lift tickets are now available at Backcountry.com.  Thanks to Ski Utah and the Utah Resorts.  All proceeds go towards paying for Utah Avalanche Center avalanche and mountain weather advisories.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you shop from Backcountry.com or REI:  Click this link for Backcountry.com or this link to REI, shop, and they will donate a percent of your purchase price to the UAC.  Both offer free shipping (with some conditions) so this costs you nothing!

***Please submit snow and avalanche observations from your ventures in the backcountry HERE. You can call us at 801-524-5304 or email HERE, or include #utavy in your Instagram or Tweet us @UAClogan. To report avalanche activity in the Logan Area or to contact the local avalanche forecaster call me, Toby, at 435-757-7578. 

I'll regularly update this advisory on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by about 7:30.   This advisory is produced by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. It describes only general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.