Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Ogden Area Mountains Issued by Mark Staples for Thursday - April 5, 2018 - 5:40am
bottom line

Avalanche conditions are generally safe and the danger is LOW. With minimal warming and light winds, the situation won't change much today; however, a disturbance tonight and another storm on Saturday should bring snow above 9000 feet.
special announcement

Lift tickets for Snowbasin and Powder Mountain 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

Mountain temperatures this morning are just below freezing above 8000 feet and just above freezing below that elevation. Southwest winds are averging 10 mph gusting to 15 mph. The snowpack is mostly hard and frozen.

Many trail heads have melted as have many south facing slopes at low and mid elevation. On north facing slopes at about 8000 feet, snow depths near Snowbasin and Ben Lomond are just over 3 feet, and near Powder Mountain and Monte Cristo they are 4-5 feet.
recent activity

No avalanche activity was reported yesterday.

Heads up if you're considering skiing Timpanogos or other peaks further south this spring. The Provo area mountains have a very different and more dangerous snowpack. It's worth reviewing an avalanche cycle that occurred last week in that area. With more precipitation coming this weekend, we'll be watching the snowpack in that area to see how it responds and if more avalanches occur.
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

The snowpack is mostly stable but it is also hard and frozen. A few inches of snow plus strong winds Monday night created isolated wind drifts and wind slabs. Watch out for "slide for life" conditions in steep terrain where the hard icy snow means you may not be able to stop if you fall. Cloud cover today should limit warming and softening of the snowpack. Yesterday the snowpack just started to soften below 7500 feet, but not much.
weather

Today will be similar to yesterday with mostly cloudy skies that will limit much warming. High temperatures at 8000 feet should reach the upper 30's F or slightly warmer. Winds will remain light averging about 10 mph. Moisture will arrive tonight with a disturbance that will bring and inch or two of snow above 9000 feet and rain below that elevation. Cloudy skies will remain over the area Friday. A warm storm will arrive on Saturday. The rain/snow line will again be around 9000 feet and winds should increase. Sunday will have cooler temperatures and lingering snow showers.
general announcements

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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.