Togwotee Pass

Last night's precipitation began as rain showers and changed over to snow after the passage of a cold front. Overnight snowfall at the higher elevations was 5 to 7 inches with 0.6 to 0.8 inches of moisture. The general avalanche hazard is low above an elevation of 9,000 feet where the snowpack is 6 to 18 inches deep. In the highest avalanche starting zones isolated pockets of wind slab up to a foot in depth may exist. A person may be able to trigger a small slab avalanche on firm old snow surfaces in very steep wind loaded avalanche starting zones. Triggering a small slab avalanche can be consequential in severe terrain, especially when snow depths are shallow. No avalanche hazards are anticipated in terrain below an elevation of 9,000 feet.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )A cold front will move into the region overnight and cause the freezing level to fall from its current level near 10,500 feet to the valley elevations by morning. Precipitation will begin as rain and depending on the timing of when it changes to snow could bring 6 to 8 inches of snow to the higher elevations of the Teton Range and 3 to 5 inches to the higher elevations of the Togwotee Pass, Salt River and Wyoming Ranges. Valley locations may receive an inch or two. On Sunday snow shower activity will taper off by evening. Temperatures will be in the 20s in the mountains. Winds will be from the west at 15 to 20 miles per hour.Avalanche hazards will be limited to steep, upper elevation avalanche starting zones. Small pockets of new wind slab formed by southwest to west winds will begin to form and could be triggered on old snow surfaces by skiers or riders who venture into steep wind loaded avalanche starting zones. In isolated areas these slabs could grow to be a foot in depth. In this terrain even a small avalanche can be consequential. Due to the limited extend of the terrain where this hazard may be present and the severity of that terrain the general avalanche hazard at the upper elevations is forecast to be low. No hazard will exist at the mid and lower elevations where any new snow accumulations will be falling on bare ground or on patchy, shallow areas of old snow.