Tetons

At mid and high elevations a chance continues for people to trigger hard slab avalanches to four foot depths in very steep avalanche starting zones that did not run during the mid January storm. Triggering these slabs may require large loads such as groups of skiers or snowmobiles. New snow has fallen with very light wind creating the possibility for people to trigger sloughs or soft slabs to ten inches in depth on steep, high elevation terrain. Avalanches at low elevations are unlikely today

Weak weather systems will bring periods of light snow to the area overnight and Wednesday. Accumulations area expected to be light with one to two inches of snow in the mountains of western Wyoming by Wednesday afternoon. Winds will continue northwesterly to westerly around 10 miles per hour. Temperatures at 9,500 feet will drop to near ten degrees by Wednesday morning then warm to 20 during the day. Northwest winds Tuesday were moving new and available snow onto steep, lee slopes at upper elevations near ridge crests and cross-loading near ridges. Developing, sensitive soft slabs will be easily triggered Wednesday and could be up to a foot in depth in the Tetons. Smaller slabs and sloughs could be easily triggered in the Greys River-Wyomng Ranges. Deeper slab concerns continue as noted above. Larger triggers such as groups or snow machines are more likely to initiate the deeper slabs. In the Togwotee Pass area slabs of two to four feet in depth could be triggered by snow machines on steep slopes, particularly under cliff areas or just below ridge tops. Any periods of sunshine will make triggering slides easier and natural sloughs should be expected on steep, sunlit slopes that could release the new slabs or entrain enough snow to be dangerous. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE.