Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

The general avalanche hazard is HIGH today. Over a foot of new snow and westerly winds have created easily triggered slabs to 3 feet in depth. In steep areas near ridge crests, below cliffs or gullies surface slides could pull out deeper hard slabs to three feet in depth. Below 8,500 feet the new snow rests on slick rain crusts and human triggered or natural avalanches could rapidly build to dangerous size and run into low elevation areas. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended today.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )A storm system will bring heavy snowfall to the region's mountains overnight into Wednesday morning. Five to ten inches of accumulation are expected in the Tetons and Greys River area mountains and four to seven inches in the Togwotee Pass area. Morning low temperatures will be in the low teens, warming to 20 degrees during the day. The snow will come with westerly winds of 25 miles per hour. Valley temperatures will be in the upper teens in the morning warming to the mid 20s. Snowfall will taper to occasional light snow during the day.Soft slabs will develop with the new snow and wind and will be sensitive to human triggers. Surface slides could release deeper, hard slabs to four feet in depth in steep avalanche terrain. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable in the Tetons and Southwest Trails/Greys river area mountains. In the Greys River area the possibility of human triggered wet slides continues in steep areas at lower elevations. In the Togwotee Pass area the hazard is expected to be Moderate as travelers will be able to release avalanches to 18 inches in depth in steep areas of bowls and gullies and slopes below ridge crests or cliff bands.