Above 7,500 feet, the chance for backcountry travelers to trigger pockets of shallow wind slab will increase with daytime warming. Small wet loose slides will also become possible on steep, sunlit aspects once surface crusts thaw. At the lower elevations, avalanches are unlikely except for in isolated pockets in the steepest terrain. The general avalanche hazard forecast does not apply to extreme terrain where even small slides can have very serious consequences.
Recently developed pockets of wind slabs could be triggered by backcountry travelers in very steep, avalanche prone terrain at the mid and upper elevations. These slabs, with depths of six to eighteen inches, will become more susceptible to failure on sunlit aspects as the day warms.
Expect increasing cloud cover overnight ahead of an approaching disturbance embedded in northwesterly flow. This system will bring snow to mountains early Monday morning and continue throughout the day with three to six inches of new snow by Monday evening. Overnight lows in the mountains will be in the mid teens before rising into the mid 20s during the day. Northwesterly ridgetop winds will back to the west at 10 to 20 miles per hour.The General Avalanche Hazard in Tetons is expected to be LOW Monday morning, but could rise to MODERATE during the day if new snow and associated winds are sufficient to create new wind slabs which will build on surface hoar and sun crusts.Persistent slabs up to three feet deep still pose a threat to skiers and riders in the Togwotee Pass and Greys River in steep, avalanche prone terrain. There, the General Avalanche Hazard will remain MODERATE.
