Ogden Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Evelyn Lees

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

There are just a few lift tickets left - to Sundance, Wolf Mountain and Brianhead ski resorts – 100% of the sale of these donated tickets goes to support the Utah Avalanche Center.

BOTTOM LINE

Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)


Danger Rose Tutorial

The avalanche danger is mostly LOW (L1) this morning, but will increase to pockets of MODERATE (L2) for wet sluffs as the day heats up. In addition, there are pockets of MODERATE (L2) for wind drifts along the highest ridges and for triggering a deeper slide 1-3’ deep into older snow. Slopes facing northeast through southeast at the mid and upper elevations have been the most active with these last two problems.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

Skies are mostly clear, and any lingering clouds should quickly disappear. Temperatures are in the single digits this morning, with a few teens at the lower 6 and 7,000 foot elevations. The northwesterly winds are light, with all but the highest peaks averaging less than 15 mph.

Turning, riding and snowshoeing conditions vary widely across the range. In the Park City and Salt Lake mountains, there is about a foot of excellent settled powder, with slight sun damage on some southerly facing slopes. The Provo and Ogden mountains received less than 6” out of the last series of storms, so its dust on crust on most aspects, with softer snow on the protected, shady slopes.

RECENT ACTIVITY

The only avalanches reported were older slides that ran during the storm, in the Cardiac and upper Mill B drainages. Pooled graupel is the suspect weak layer for most of these, and photos and some information are posted in Current Conditions. There is also a little updated info on the Ant Knolls slides.

THREAT #1
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 10 hours.

A decent temperature jump and lots of sunshine may get a round of wet loose sluffs running on the steep, sunny slopes today. A damp, sticky snow surface and roller balls will be some of the first clues that it’s time to head for cooler territory by changing aspect or staying on low angle slopes. There is weak layering about a foot down on many of the sunny slopes, especially those facing east and southeast, so there is a possibility that the weight of a large wet sluff could break out a deeper slab avalanche.

THREAT #2
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Consistent northwest, north and northeasterly winds created a variety of wind drifts, both hard and soft. On steep slopes, avoid these pillows of drifted snow, as a few rogue wind drifts could still be triggered by a person.

THREAT #3
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Don’t forget about the more deeply buried facets and crusts. The new snow and wind failed to tip the balance on most slopes, partly because many of the north and easterly facing slopes were stripped of much of their load by the winds. But there are still a few isolated slopes where a deeper slide could be triggered on the crust/facet weakness. In many locations, these layers are weakening, not strengthening, and as people push into the more radical, steep, rocky terrain, they are more likely to find one of these spots where they could trigger a deeper slide.

MOUNTAIN WEATHER

High pressure will dominate the weather into the weekend. Clear skies today, with lots of sun, and temperatures warming into the mid 20’s at 8,000’ and into the upper teens along the high ridge lines. The winds will remain from the northwest and average in the 5 to 15 mph range at most stations. As the inversion tightens today, speeds across the highest terrain will increase into the 20 to 30 mph range, with gusts in the 40’s.

The warming trend will continue into the weekend, with lots of sun and 10,000’ temperatures in the 20’s tomorrow, and near freezing on Saturday.

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry - especially if you are adjacent to a ski area – please call the following teams to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

Salt Lake – Alta Central (801-742-2033)

Ogden – Snowbasin Patrol Dispatch (801-620-1017)

Provo – Sundance Patrol Dispatch (801-223-4150)

Discount Lift tickets: Ski Utah, Backcountry.com, Alta, Deer Valley, Park City, The Canyons, Wolf Mountain, Snowbasin, Beaver Mountain, Brighton, Sundance, and Solitude have donated a limited number of tickets for sale.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides flight plan.

Dawn Patrol Forecast Hotline, updated by 05:30: 888-999-4019 option 8.

Daily observations are frequently posted by 10 pm each evening.

Subscribe to the daily avalanche advisory e-mail click HERE.

UDOT canyon closures UDOT at (801) 975-4838

You have the opportunity to participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting avalanche and snow observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, or email by clicking HERE

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The information in this advisory is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

We will update this forecast tomorrow morning. Thanks for calling.

This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done.  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.

This advisory provided by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with:

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority and the friends of the La Sal Avalanche Center. See our Sponsors Page for a complete list.