There have been several close calls in the Teton area over the past few days. These all involved skiers or snowboarders who ventured into steep avalanche starting zones. Similar slides, along with loose snow sluffs, are possible today in the Salt River and Wyoming Ranges and could become more likely on sunlit aspects if skies are mostly clear throughout the day. Conservative terrain choices are warranted.
Wind slabs up to 18 inches deep lie upon hard melt-freeze crusts, sun crusts, and in some areas wind packed snow. These slabs could be triggered by the weight of a single person in steep avalanche terrain, particularly along high ridge crests and in steep avalanche starting zones.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )A weak shortwave imbedded in northwesterly flow could bring a couple of inches of new snow to the region during the night and into tomorrow. Overnight lows in the mountains will be near zero before rising into the low teens in the afternoon. Northwesterly ridgetop winds will range from 5 to 15 miles per hour.Above 7,500 feet, the General Avalanche Hazard is expected to be MODERATE on Sunday. In steep, wind loaded avalanche terrain, backcountry travelers could trigger pockets of wind slab 6 to 18 inches in depth failing either on density breaks within the storm snow or possibly down to the mid March hard snow surfaces. On sunlit aspects, any extended periods of clear skies in the afternoon could increase the likelihood of triggering these slides and bring about the possible of loose snow sluffing.
