Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Ogden Area Mountains Issued by Drew Hardesty for Saturday - February 10, 2018 - 6:52am
bottom line

The avalanche danger is generally LOW. Low danger does not mean no danger and risk is inherent in mountain travel. Human triggered avalanches 1-2' deep are unlikely but not impossible. The most suspect areas include steep thin and rocky north to northeast facing slopes above about 8500'.
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current conditions

Skies are overcast. Temperatures are in teh upper teens along the Ogden skyline and James Peak, but in the mid-twenties elsewhere. Winds are 15-20mph along the ridgelines though the wind magnet that is Mt Ogden has hourly speeds in the 30s with gusts to 35 (down from 50mph, gusting to 60). Snow depths are 30-40" in the sheltered upper elevations with variable snow surface conditions.

recent activity

No recent avalanche activity has been reported from the Ogden area mountains.
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

Although unlikely, persistent slab avalanches remain possible in isolated steep terrain. The most experienced people are still avoiding the bulls-eye terrain - steep, north and northeast facing slopes, especially those that are rocky, wind loaded or have a shallow snowpack. These are the slopes where you are most likely to trigger one of these deeper slab avalanches.

· Widespread buried faceted layers appear dormant now, and persistent slab avalanches are unlikely, but if you trigger one it will be dangerous.

· If you choose to travel on steep slopes, select slopes with clean run outs, where a mistake in your stability evaluation won’t send you rocketing off a cliff, into trees or into a gully.

· Pay attention to possible signs of instability like cracking and whumpfing or collapsing, but remember these signs are not likely to be present so you have to dig down and look for the poor snow structure.


NE facing slope near 8800' on 2/8/18
weather

Light snowfall today may add up to an inch or two, maybe. Central Utah and southern Utah county mountains may see 1-3" or so. Winds will be from the northwest, dropping to 10-15mph. Temperatures will be in the low teens. We'll see clearing skies tonight and tomorrow with another weak storm for Monday afternoon with 2-4" possible. Mid-week to the weekend looks uninteresting but maybe a glimmer of something just beyond the 7 day time frame. Maybe.
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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.