Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Friday - March 3, 2017 - 7:08am
bottom line

Snow is deep and mostly stable, but cornice fall and wind slab avalanches are possible on drifted upper elevation slopes. High angled sun and warm temperatures will cause a rising danger of loose wet avalanches in sunny terrain. Use normal caution, avoid travel on or under large cornices and steep sunny slopes in the heat of the day.




current conditions

Temperatures stayed nice and cold yesterday, and powder is still nice where it wasn't damaged by wind or sun. The Tony Grove Snotel ​at 8400' reports 27 F and 121"of total snow with 166% of average SWE (Snow Water Equivalent)​. It's 22 F at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, and a south wind is blowing 28 mph, gusting to 40 mph. Snow is deep, settled, and mostly stable. Recent growth of large cornices, drifting from south wind overnight, high angled sun, and temperatures well above freezing for the first time in a week are creating heightened avalanche conditions on certain slopes.
recent activity

There was some natural wind slab, cornice fall, and loose activity during the stormy weather earlier in the week. Recent activity involved only storm snow, and avalanches did not step into old layers. A party triggered a small wind slab on a very steep roll in the Tony Grove Area, and natural cornice falls and wind slabs were observed in the Wellsville and Central Bear River Ranges yesterday.


A recent natural wind slab avalanche on the southeast face of Mount Gog. (3/2/2017)
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

The danger is LOW on most slopes, but avalanches are still possible. Only expose one person at a time, and watch each other from safe places. Don't linger under cornices or steep sunny slopes because natural avalanches might occur, especially during the heat of the day.
Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description
  • Huge, overhanging cornices can break further back than expected and trigger avalanches on slopes below. Solar warming and rising temperatures may cause some cornices to buckle and calve.
  • South winds increased early this morning and likely formed stiff drifts along exposed ridges. Hard wind slabs are often stubborn and can sometimes allow people to get out on them before releasing. Avoid wind slabs on the lee side of ridges and in and around terrain features like gullies, scoops, sub-ridges, and cliff-bands.

Cornice Fall on Castle Rock. (3/2/17)
Avalanche Problem 3
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

Warmth and sun will create heightened wet avalanche conditions on sunny slopes during the heat of the day. Loose wet avalanches entraining significant piles of moist fresh snow are possible.

  • If you start to see roller balls, pin wheels, or natural sluffs, it's time to leave.
  • Avoid being on or under steep slopes with saturated surface snow.
weather

High pressure aloft will briefly build across the region through the end of the week. Southerly flow will strengthen over the weekend, with a cold front expected to sweep through the region Sunday night into Monday. It will be mostly sunny today, high temperature at 8500' of 38 F, west wind 15 to 20 mph. Tonight will be mostly cloudy, low temperature of 29 F, 10 to 20 mph south wind. Saturday will be partly sunny, high of 38 F, and 16 to 20 mph southwest wind.
general announcements

Do you buy groceries at Smiths? When you register your Smith’s rewards card with their Community Rewards program, they will donate to the Utah Avalanche Center whenever you make a purchase. It's easy, only takes a minute, and doesn't cost you anything. Details here.

Discount lift tickets for Beaver Mountain, Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and the Central Wasatch resorts are donated by the resorts to benefit the Utah Avalanche Center. Details and order information here.

If you sign up for AmazonSmile and designate the Utah Avalanche Center as your favorite charity, they will donate a portion of everything you spend to the UAC. It doesn't cost you a penny and we'd really appreciate the help.

Your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche observations. You can call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include @utavy in your Instagram. In the Logan Area you can reach me at 435-757-7578

We will update this advisory regularly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by about 7:30.

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 exist.