Skiers and riders have two avalanche concerns in the backcountry today at elevations above 8500 feet. Wind slabs that could be soft to hard have been formed by winds that have varied greatly in direction and could be triggered in steep avalanche terrain. The potential also persists to trigger older hard slabs to greater depths. Avalanches are unlikely below 8500 feet today.
Winds that initially blew from the southwest and veered all the way to the southeast and now back to the west have moved recently fallen snow into surface slabs on a variety of aspects. These slabs could have depths to one foot and are likely to be hard.
The chance to trigger older hard slabs continues above 9000 feet. These slabs could fail on upon hard crusts formed in early December or on north facing slopes they could fail on early season weaknesses near the ground. If triggered, slab depths to an additional three feet are possible in these layers.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Saturday looks to be mostly dry through the daylight hours in advance of another system that is to impact the area Saturday night. Temperatures will be similar to today with highs near ten degrees at 9000 feet. Cloud cover will increase and winds will back to the west then southwest with fifteen to twenty five mile per hour averages. The general avalanche hazard will be Moderate above 8500 feet and Low below that elevation. Recently formed wind slabs to one foot depth could be triggered in steep wind loaded terrain. A chance also persists to trigger older weaknesses above 9000 feet on North facing slopes in the Togwotee pass areas and on southerly slopes in the Teton Area and the Southwest Trails areas.
