Human triggered avalanches are likely today above 8,500 feet with the potential for deeper, weak layers to crack and fail. Recently formed wind slabs which developed yesterday will continue to grow in size through the day. These slabs are likely to be sensitive to triggering by a skier or rider and could be large enough to bury a person. If these avalanches involve a more deeply buried persistent weak layer, an avalanche three to four could result. Dangerous avalanche conditions such as these require careful routefinding and snowpack evaluation. Avalanches below 8,500 feet remain unlikely.
Wind slabs will continue to form today and add to the wind slab problem which began yesterday. These slabs will be sensitive to triggering by a skier or rider and could result in one to two foot thick slab avalanche that is large enough to bury a person. Look for signs of wind loading and be cautious near or under steep wind loaded terrain.
Weak layers deeper in the snowpack hold the potential to fail under the stress caused by new loading or by a skier or rider. Avalanches that fail on buried weak layers will be particularly dangerous and up to two to three feet thick.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Snow is forecast to continue overnight and through the day tomorrow steadily increasing the avalanche danger through tomorrow. Favored locations in the Tetons and Salt River Range could receive eight inches more snow tonight and another six to eight inches tomorrow for a combined two day total of eighteen to twenty four inches. Togwotee Pass/Continental Divide area is forecast to receive around half these amounts. Wind speeds have been defying the best forecasting efforts but some degree of slab formation overnight and tomorrow seems certain. Count on the new snow and wind loading to bring the potential for natural avalanches 1-3’ thick at upper elevations which will increase the danger rating to Considerable. Buried weak layers are more likely to be involved in these avalanches as the loading continues. Middle elevations will likely share this Considerable rating, especially if the more optimistic snowfall forecasts pan out. Due to the sparse snow coverage prior to this storm, lower elevation terrain will likely remain free of avalanche danger.
