At the upper elevations, isolated pockets of persistent slab could be triggered by backcountry travels venturing into steep avalanche prone terrain. Avalanches are unlikely at the mid elevations where snow depths are around a foot deep. Very little snow exists at the lower elevations.
Pockets of persistent slab, up to 18 inches deep, lie upon firm melt-freeze crusts formed in October. In some areas, surface hoar developed on these crusts prior to being buried. These slabs could be triggered by backcountry travelers in steep, northerly avalanche terrain at the upper elevations.
A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service. Southwesterly flow will bring a series of fast moving short waves into the region beginning Saturday night through Sunday. Six to ten inches of new snow will be possible by Sunday evening. Overnight lows in the mountains will be in the low 20s before rising to near 30 during the day.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW Sunday morning, but could rise to MODERATE during the day as new snow adds weight to existing persistent slabs. These slabs could increase in depth to two feet by the end of the day, particularly on the west slope of the Tetons where more snow has fallen this season. New shallow storm slabs could also present a problem for backcountry travelers in steep, wind loaded terrain. With a shallow, early season snowpack, triggering small slides can be deadly if they carry people into exposed rocky areas or terrain traps, or over cliffs. Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully and identify features of concern.
