Tetons

The hazard will be increasing as snowfall rates and strong winds combine to load existing instabilities and create new soft surface slabs on leeward aspects. Instabilities may rapidly increase during the afternoon and early evening hours. Monitor conditions and adjust plans accordingly. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended during periods of high avalanche hazard. Very large deep slab avalanches continue to be a life threatening hazard at the upper elevations. New wind slabs that will be forming during the day and older wind slabs that were formed during the previous storm cycle will become increasingly sensitive to human triggers as the day progresses.

Moderate to heavy snowfall should continue into the evening and then rapidly decrease with at least partial clearing by sunrise. This snowfall is expected to favor the Teton Range, northern portions of our forecast region and Yellowstone National Park. Strong winds will continue through the evening and into the morning and veer to the northwest with gusts to 50 miles per hour. Temperatures will fall into the single digits by daybreak and rise into the teens during the day.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be CONSIDERABLE. This rating is dependent on the intensity and duration of this evenings snowfall. Wind slabs one to three feet in deep are likely to be easily triggered by humans in steep avalanche prone terrain. At the upper elevations very dangerous deep slabs up to six feet in depth could also be human triggered or release naturally. Excellent snow stability assessment and route finding skills will be essential for safe travel in avalanche terrain.