Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Strong, sustained westerly winds yesterday and into this morning, with a gust to 101 miles per hour on Mt. Coffin, formed winds slabs above 9,000 feet. Today, backcountry travelers may trigger slab avalanches at the upper elevations where the wind has drifted snow onto leeward slopes. The potential to trigger these slabs will increase during the warmest periods of the day. Below 9,000 feet, the snowpack is mostly stable. There small, isolated pockets of wind slab may be found and as the day warms small, wet loose avalanches are possible.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )A weather system moving from north to south is expected to cross over Western Wyoming between 7 and 8 PM. As the cold front passes, gusty winds will veer to the north and light snowfall will favor the northern portion of the region. For tomorrow, partly cloudy skies will become clearer throughout the day, and mountain temperatures will warm from the teens into the twenties. Winds are expected to be fifteen to thirty miles per hour and backing to the west. At the highest elevations today's strong west to west-southwest winds have drifted snow onto leeward aspects. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be moderate above an elevation of 9,500 feet. At those higher elevations it may be possible for humans to trigger slab avalanches up to two feet in depth. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be low below an elevation of 9,500 feet. At these elevations skiers and riders could trigger small pockets of soft slab up to one foot in depth on isolated terrain features. At all elevations warming temperatures could increase the sensitivity of these wind slabs to human triggers and may cause wet loose slides to occur on steep sunlit aspects.