Dangerous avalanche conditions exist. Nearly forty inches of snow has fallen since Sunday night. In the Alpine and Greys river areas, over a foot of snow has fallen in the last 24 hours. This new and recent snow lies upon hard snow surfaces and crusts. Skiers and riders could easily trigger this recent snowfall as wind slabs or as loose snow sluffs in very steep terrain at all elevations. A slight chance also persists to trigger deeper instabilities in limited terrain. Cautious route-finding and conservative decision making is essential today.
Southwest to northwest winds have formed soft surface slabs. These slabs lie upon crusts and firm old snow surfaces and are likely to be easily triggered by humans. These slides could have crown depths to four feet and will be most sensitive in very steep terrain at higher elevations.
Weak snow persists near the ground. In isolated areas, skiers and riders might be able to trigger dangerous hard slabs with depths to over four feet. This basal weakness is limited in distribution and is most likely to be found along the east slope of the Wyoming Range.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Orographic snow showers are to continue through Thursday. Snowfall amounts are hard to predict but should be in the two to five inch range. Temperatures are to rise into the low twenties. West winds will become northwesterly with ten to fifteen mile per hour averages. The general avalanche hazard will remain Moderate in the Togwotee Pass area where deep instabilities persist and a slight chance continues for hard slabs in high avalanche terrain. In the Teton and Southwest trails areas the hazard will be Considerable. New wind slabs with depths to 3 feet could be triggered at higher elevations in very steep terrain. The depths and sensitivity of these slabs lessens at lower elevations.
