Snow and increasing winds will form new soft slabs on leeward aspects and will be increasing the load on buried persistent weak layers. In areas where new soft slabs begin to form on well-developed surface hoar they will quickly become sensitive to human triggers. Deeper instabilities persist and present the potential for deeper persistent slab avalanches to be triggered by humans or the release of a wind slab. Loose snow sloughs are likely to release from cliff areas and steep road cuts. . Winds are forecast to strengthen and will be increasing the hazard at all elevations as the day progresses. The general avalanche hazard above an elevation of 7,500 feet will increase from moderate to considerable during the day and will increase from low to moderate below that elevation. Carefully evaluate terrain features such as terrain traps, gullies and chutes that frequently avalanche and steep wind loaded avalanche starting zones
Increasing southwest winds will be forming new soft slabs on weak old snow surfaces. These new slabs are expected to grow to depths of 6 to 18 inches during the day and are expected to become very sensitive to human triggers.
New snow and wind will be increasing the load on persistent weak layers of faceted snow that are buried within the snowpack. Large slab avalanches involving older snow layers could be triggered by the weight of a person, snowmachine or the release of a soft wind slab. These older slab avalanches could be up to three feet deep.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Snow will develop and become steady by midnight. Moderate snowfall is expected to occur during the morning hours and gradually decrease during the afternoon hours. Winds will increase during this time and continue into Sunday night and Monday. After a brief break, snow will return late Sunday and continue through much of the day on Monday. Temperatures will be teens and 20s. Winds will be from the southwest and increase from 15 to 25 with gusts to 38 miles per hour. Sunday's system will favor the higher elevations and the Teton and Southwest Trails forecast areas. Several inches are possible by sunrise. Snowfall totals of 6 to 10 inches are likely in favored areas by sunset.New snow and moderate winds will begin to form new soft slabs on leeward aspects and will be increasing the load on buried persistent weak layers. In areas where new soft slabs begin to form on well-developed surface hoar they will quickly become sensitive to human triggers. Monitor conditions for increasing hazard. Carefully evaluate terrain features such as terrain traps, gullies and chutes that frequently avalanche and steep wind loaded avalanche starting zones. Pockets of new slab could grow to depths of 6 to 18 during the day. Deeper instabilities persist and present the potential for deeper slab avalanches, one to three feet deep, to be human triggered on steep slopes above an elevation of 7,500 feet. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be moderate but increasing above that elevation. The general avalanche hazard below that elevation is expected to be low and also will be on the increase.
