Forecast: Ogden Area Mountains - Utah Avalanche Center

Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Issued by Trent Meisenheimer on
Monday morning, December 27, 2021

The avalanche danger is HIGH on upper elevation aspects facing northwest through north and east where strong winds and recent snowfall have created dangerous avalanche conditions. Both natural and human-triggered avalanches are likely. Traveling in or below avalanche terrain is NOT recommended.

There is CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger on mid and upper elevation aspects facing west through south and southeast. Low elevations have a MODERATE avalanche danger.

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Moderate

Considerable

High

Extreme

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Avalanche Warning

THE AVALANCHE DANGER IS HIGH WITH DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS.

AN AVALANCHE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF MUCH OF THE STATE OF UTAH, INCLUDING THE WASATCH RANGE...BEAR RIVER RANGE...UINTA MOUNTAINS...AND THE MANTI-SKYLINE.

HEAVY DENSE SNOWFALL AND STRONG WINDS HAVE CREATED DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS. BOTH HUMAN TRIGGERED AND NATURAL AVALANCHES ARE LIKELY. STAY OFF OF AND OUT FROM UNDER SLOPES STEEPER THAN 30 DEGREES.

Weather and Snow

Yesterday's impressive cold front came roaring through the valley and slammed into the mountains delivering strong winds and a quick burst of snowfall. In the past 24 hrs, we've seen roughly 5 to 8" inches of new snow containing 0.40" to 0.83" of water throughout the mountains.

The National Weather Service has issued another Winter Weather Advisory that will be in effect at 8:00 am this morning. The strongest snowfall will occur late in the day as another cold front crosses northern Utah. We could pick up another 1-2 feet of snow by tomorrow morning.

Currently, the upper elevation mountain temperatures are in the low teens °F, while lower in elevation; the temperature hovers in the mid-teens °F. The wind remains the headline news and continues to blow from the southwest 15-30 mph with gusts into the 30's, 40's and 50's across the upper elevations.

Recent Avalanches

Control work from Ogden-area resorts reported pockety wind slabs in steep terrain. A couple of explosive triggered avalanches into older weak snow from October have occurred in the past couple of days in the upper elevation northerly aspects.

Drew's observation from the Cutler Ridge of Ben Lomond can be found HERE>. His photo below shows the weak faceted snow down near the ground.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

Recent snowfall and strong winds have overloaded a persistent weak layer (PWL) of faceted snow down near the ground on mid and upper elevation aspects facing northwest through north and east. This weak layer formed from snow that fell earlier this Autumn, and once we buried this weak layer beginning on December 9, the PWL has become reactive with avalanching on every loading event of new snow and/or wind.

Avalanches failing on this weak layer may be triggered remotely (from a distance) or from below. Any avalanche failing on this PWL may break down 2-4' deep (possibly deeper) and propagate hundreds of feet wide.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

Strong winds have created both hard and soft slabs of windblown on all aspects at the mid and upper elevations. Although the winds have been mainly from the west/southwest, winds this strong can channel snow around terrain features and create fresh drifts on all aspects, including well-down off of ridge lines. You may even find fresh wind drifts at unusually low elevations below 7,000'.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

New snow soft slab avalanches will be particularly sensitive during high snowfall rates. Natural avalanches may be possible in the steepest terrain. Avalanches may also be triggered at a distance during this time.

General Announcements

Who's up for some free avalanche training? Get a refresher, become better prepared for an upcoming avalanche class, or just boost your skills. Go to https://learn.kbyg.org/ and scroll down to Step 2 for a series of interactive online avalanche courses produced by the UAC.

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This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

Observations and Avalanches

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