Ogden Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Drew Hardesty

BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

We're on the high end of a MODERATE danger across the board for wet avalanches today. Natural and Human triggered slides will become likely with direct sun and daytime heating. Change aspect or slope angle when conditions deteriorateand become punchy and unconsolidated.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Just another wiggle in the isobars - this last weather disturbance has come and gone...leaving 1-3" of new scattered across the range. Looks like the Western Uintas picked up 5" new. The northwesterly winds picked up overnight, even blowing 35-45mph along the highest most exposed ridgelines, but they should rapidly lose steam as the 'storm' rolls off to the east. Mountain temps are in the low 20s up high and near 30 down low. Ideally the winds and cooler temps would offer some temporary reprieve to our beleaguered snowpack, but it's just as likely the lingering cloud cover and couple few new have conspired to offset the cooling agents... Be nice to have a good cold snap to lock up the pack and move on.

It may be the only cold snow now sits due north above 10,000'. Southerly aspects offer something akin to corn.


RECENT ACTIVITY

Not too much out of the ordinary reported from yesterday. The few who were out reported some natural and easy-to-initiate wet loose sluffs in the steeper terrain. An observer also reported a wet loose point release cascading down the steep rocky terrain above Rock Canyon in Provo ~ roughly 6800' northwest facing.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 12 hours.

The snowpack is trying to transition from a winter to spring snowpack. Optimally we'd have warm days followed by cold clear nights. Otherwise, you end up with free water in the pack which will start to dissolve the bonds between the grains and become cohesionless glop. This is when it's most dangerous. We're not there yet, but the mid to low elevations are becoming more saturated and punchy.

Don't overstay your welcome on the steep east to south to west facing slopes with direct sun and daytime warming. Friday's incident on Superior in Little Cottonwood is the classic cause and effect. Don't expect different results in the same situation today. Even the mid to low elevation shady terrain should start to become unsupportable with daytime warming - take care to avoid the steep terrain that funnels into terrain traps below such as gullies, dense alders, or cliff-bands.


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Shallow new wind slabs will be found in the highest lee terrain today. While shallow, they could pose a problem if they knock you off your feet or ride above unforgiving terrain.

CORNICES remain a huge issue. Avoid these monsters as they continue to release naturally and upon approach. They will often release behind you when getting too close to the edge.


THREAT #3

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Low probability, high consequence. These deep slabs have re-awakened with every significant loading event. For the Logan area mountains – wind and rapid warming as recently as Thursday. For a person to trigger a deep slab, it’ll take a large trigger – a cornice drop, another avalanche ‘stepping down’, or explosives – in steep, rocky terrain, a shallow rocky area, or a slope without compressive strength.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

We'll have clearing skies and light westerly winds. Mountain temperatures will rise into the mid to upper 20s at 10,000' and the mid to upper 30s at 8000'. The next weak disturbance passes through tonight with a stronger cold front expected on Wednesday. The longer range models have little agreement for the weekend. Stay tuned.


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.