Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Friday - April 8, 2016 - 6:18am
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CONSIDERABLE (Level 3): We'll start the day with a low danger, but heightened wet avalanche conditions will develop fairly quickly as the day heats up and the snow softens. Avalanche conditions could become rather dangerous on steep sunny slopes by afternoon with natural cornice fall, large loose wet sluffs, and other wet avalanche activity possible.

  • Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully, and avoid afternoon travel in avalanche terrain.
  • You should stay off of and out from under large cornices and steep sunny slopes with melt-softened saturated snow in the heat of the day.




current conditions

Temperatures stayed above freezing overnight again at all mountain weather stations, and I'm reading a toasty 38 degrees at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak station, with fairly strong east winds, currently averaging around 32 mph and gusting into the 40s. The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' also reports 38 degrees with 82 inches of total snow containing 102% of average water for the date. Expect only a superficial surface refreeze this morning, with the snow softening up even earlier. With forecast temperatures pushing 60 degrees at 9000' today, the danger of wet avalanches will rise from low this morning through moderate, and a considerable danger will likely develop on steep sunny slopes by afternoon. Dangerous avalanche conditions may develop, with natural wet avalanches and cornice falls possible, so you should avoid afternoon travel in avalanche terrain. Best to stay off of and out from under large cornices and sunny slopes with melt softened saturated snow.



This long running natural loose wet slide in Old Logway was triggered by cornice fall, we think on Sunday 4-3-16. More natural wet avalanche activity is possible with exceptionally warm daytime temperatures expected in the mountains.


recent activity

Natural wet avalanches during the heat of the day and involving late March snow were common across the Logan Zone in the first few days of April.


​***To view our updated list of backcountry observations and avalanche activity from around Utah, go to our observations page

Avalanche Problem 1
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 12 hours
description

Moist sluffs entraining melt-saturated surface snow are possible with warming daytime temperatures again today, most likely on sunny sheltered slopes where saturated surface snow becomes softened by solar warming. You should leave a steep slope if you start sinking into melt-softened wet snow. With mountain temperatures approaching 60 degrees today, natural wet avalanches will be possible in the afternoon.

Dangerous triggered wet slabs are a possibility in very steep sunny terrain, especially as slopes with shallow snow continue to heat up this afternoon.

Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 12 hours
description

Cornices are likely to buckle and naturally calve during daytime heating, and these can trigger wet avalanches on slopes below. As the large overhanging cornices soften with the warmth they can also become easier to trigger and often break further back than expected. Obviously, you should avoid travel under large cornices in the heat of the day.



Cornice Falls are likely during the heat of the day. (N Hell's 4-6-16)


weather

THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ADVANCING NORTH THROUGH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILL SPREAD PRECIPITATION NORTH INTO UTAH BEGINNING FRIDAY. A SECOND LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BRING PRECIPITATION BACK TO UTAH LATE IN THE WEEKEND.
Today: Sunny, with a high near 58. Southeast wind 14 to 17 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. Southeast wind 9 to 11 mph becoming west southwest after midnight.
Saturday: Scattered rain and snow showers. Some thunder is also possible. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. West southwest wind 11 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.




general announcements

The National Avalanche Center recently completed an animated tutorial on the North American Avalanche Danger Scale.  HERE


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. 

We'll update this advisory throughout the season on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by about 7:30.  This is the final week of regular advisories and we'll be issuing intermittent advisories as weather dictates starting next week (4-11-16)

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.