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Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Drew Hardesty
Issued by Drew Hardesty on
Monday morning, March 4, 2019
Terrain less steep than 35° not beneath steeper slopes has a LOW danger. Areas of MODERATE danger exists for both wet and dry point release avalanches on all aspects with the danger more pronounced at the mid and upper elevations. Some of these may run naturally with enough heating or any direct sun this afternoon. Isolated areas in the alpine still host lingering shallow wind drifts.
KEY POINT! Safe Travel protocol saves lives-
One at a Time
Get out of the Way at the Bottom
Have the Gear and Know How to Use it
Don't Sluff Your Bro. Or the road.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements
Join Drew Hardesty at 7PM on Wednesday, March 6 at Rocksteady Bodyworks in SLC for an interactive discussion on the State of the Snowpack. IF you plan on attending, there's required reading beforehand.
Ok it's not required, but it's helpful. LOW Danger Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4. You can find them all under our Blog page in the Menu above. Extra thanks to Derek Debruin, Russ Costa, and Laura Maguire.
The latest podcast is out. In this episode, we sit down with Ian McCammon. Ian has done as much for the avalanche community as nearly anyone over the past 20 years and recently received the highest award given by the American Avalanche Association. Tune in -
Weather and Snow
Skies are mostly cloudy. Winds are hardly a whisper. Mountain temperatures are in the teens. Snow depths are 80-100" up high with near 5-6' at many trailheads. Greenhousing affected the snow down low and there'll be a zipper crust that'll soften before long.
Weak ridging will develop today and early tomorrow ahead of another series of wet, warm, and windy storms slated for overnight Tuesday through early Saturday. An initial rain/snow line Wednesday may be as high as 7000'. Areas favored by a southwest flow 1-2' of heavy dense snow by early Saturday. Cold air doesn't arrive until later Friday eve. Another storm possible for early next week.
Recent Avalanches
We had no reports of avalanche activity in the Ogden mountains yesterday.
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Avalanche Problem #1
New Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Sluffing in the new snow on steep (40°+) slopes may be expected. These are easily managed from above with ski cuts and by moving diagonally across the slope to avoid being caught up in your own loose snow avalanche. In forgiving terrain, these offer great opportunities to learn about moving snow. In, above, and below extreme terrain, they can be outright terrifying. See yesterday's event in Monte Cristo in Little Cottonwood (a ski run that requires rappels). Remember that radical terrain amplifies the overall risk.
Learn more about Dry Sluffs and Wet Sluffs in the Avalanche Problem Toolbox.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Greenhousing may yet again feature prominently to enable wet loose sluffs on all aspects at the low and mid elevations of all aspects. They'll certainly run fast and far...and even more-so in steep confined gullies and particular on the east-south-west facing aspects that holds a nice crust/bed surface below. IF the clouds thin enough to allow for some sun...or the sun comes out altogether, the avalanche potential of the sluffs will rise accordingly.
What is greenhousing? It's when the radiation/energy balance gets thrown out of whack (ok this is a snow and avalanche guy's description) where thin clouds allow for some solar heating but hamper much of the snow's ability to release long wave energy back to the sky. The clouds themselves emit long wave energy back to the snow as well. These are all things you can feel - it's warm, humid, muggy (feels like stepping into a true greenhouse) - and the snow can become damp and unstable independent of aspect and typically more common at the low to mid elevations.
TAKE HOME POINT: If you can feel the greenhousing, the snow can feel the greenhousing - wet loose sluffing can be expected. Especially when there's recent cold snow on the ground.
Avalanche Problem #3
Cornice
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Cornices have grown steadily and may be more tender today with sun and warming. Avoid being on or beneath these monsters.
General Announcements
CLICK HERE FOR MORE GENERAL INFO AND FAQ
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.
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