Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Sunday - April 8, 2018 - 7:14am
bottom line

Uncertainty exists after yesterday's crazy weather and there is CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger in the backcountry today. Wet avalanches are still possible in steep terrain, but danger will diminish with cooler temperatures. Wind slab avalanche danger will increase at upper elevations as new snow accumulates and is drifted by strong west wind.

  • Evaluate snow and terrain carefully.
  • Make conservative decisions.




special announcement

Lift tickets for Snowbasin remaining. The tickets are discounted almost 50%. Details and order information here. All proceeds from these go towards paying for avalanche forecasting and education!

current conditions

Wet avalanches entraining saturated snow are still possible today, but cooler temperatures will help set up the snow. Several inches of new snow is forecast today, and drifting from strong westerly winds will create increasing danger of wind slab avalanches at upper elevations.

  • The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports a good deal of rain yesterday, but I'm not sure how much. Looks like an inch or two of wet snow fell overnight. It's 30°F, and there is 69" of total snow with 85% of average SWE.
  • The UDOT weather station at Hwy 89 Logan Summit reports 30°F with 10 to 20 mph west wind, and overnight gusts in the mid 40s.

recent activity

It'll be interesting to see if yesterday's crazy weather caused any significant natural activity.

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

Natural and triggered loose wet avalanches (or sluffs) entraining rain-saturated snow are possible on steep snow-covered slopes at all elevations today.

  • Natural loose wet avalanches on steep slopes could initiate from point releases in rock bands or from cornice falls.
  • Loose wet avalanches overrunning steep slopes with poor snow structure could trigger much larger wet or deep slab avalanches.
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

Significant rainfall on a still layered snowpack yesterday caused dangerous wet slab (or deep slab) avalanche conditions in areas plagued by buried persistent weak layers made up of sugary faceted snow. Cooler temperatures today, and especially tonight, should help set up the wet snow, and wet avalanche danger will diminish.

  • Large wet avalanches could be quite destructive, and some could run far below the existing snow line.
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

Accumulating snow and drifting from strong westerly winds will cause rising danger of wind slab avalanches on upper elevation slopes. Dangerous wind slab and cornice fall conditions could develop during the day.

weather

Cooler, winter-like weather and snow is expected in the mountains today and tonight.

  • Today: Snow showers. High near 34. Windy, with a west wind 24 to 31 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible.
  • Tonight: Snow showers likely, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. Breezy, with a west wind 21 to 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
  • Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 37. West wind 5 to 11 mph.
general announcements

Episode 7 of the UAC Podcast "Mastery and False Mastery - An Interview with 'Big' Don Sharaf" is live. With a snow career spanning over 30 years, Don has enough mileage in the mountains to have learned a thing or two, including the profound value of humility when staring into the face of the dragon. Listen in on our conversation about the idea of mastery and if such a thing can exist in the avalanche world. Check it out on ​the UAC blog, ITunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The UAC has new support programs with Outdoor Research and Darn Tough. Support the UAC through your daily shopping. When you shop at Smith's, or online at Outdoor Research, REI, Backcountry.com, Darn Tough, Patagonia, NRS, Amazon, eBay a portion of your purchase will be donated to the FUAC. See our Donate Page for more details on how you can support the UAC when you shop.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on eBay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your eBay account here and click on eBay gives when you buy or sell. You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny Check it out on ITunes, Stitcher, the UAC blog, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Now is a great time to practice companion rescue techniques with your backcountry partners. Here's our rescue practice video.

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Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your Instagram.

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.