Weak, faceted snow deep in the snowpack maintains the possibility of human triggered slab avalanches in steep terrain. New snow and westerly winds have developed soft slabs on steep, lee slopes at higher elevations. Warming temoperatures will increase the possibility of triggering all types of avalanches including loose wet surface slides on sunlit slopes.Evaluate snow and terrain carefully before traveling on avalanche slopes.
Dangerous slab avalanches up to three feet in depth could be triggered by people on steep slopes. New surface slabs to a foot in depth could be human released on steep lee slopes. The new slabs rest on slick wind pack and sun crusts and came with poorly bonding graupel snow. Triggered surface slides have the potential to pull out the deeper slabs.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )High pressure building into the area will keep skies mostly clear through Tuesday. Mountain temperatures will reach lows in the single digits by morning then warm to the low 30s during the day. Winds will be southwesterly at 15 miles per hour on the ridge crests.The General Avalanche Hazard is expected to be MODERATE. Sunshine will bring rapidly warming temperatures Tuesday that will make slides more sensitive to triggers. Soft slabs to 20 inches in depth will be possible on steep slopes in the Tetons with slides to 10 inches in the Greys River and Togwotee Pass areas. Wet-loose sloughs will become a hazard by afternoon as the sun heats up the unconsolidated new snow. In the Southwest Trails and Togwotee Pass areas the possibility for people to trigger persistent slabs to three feet in depth on steep slopes continues.
