Colder temperatures following several days of melt-freeze cycles have strengthened the snowpack, making avalanches more difficult to trigger. However, in steep terrain above 8000 feet the possibility still exists for large to very large avalanches to occur involving persistent weak snow layers that are deeply buried in the snowpack. Use caution and avoid known avalanche starting zones as such an event would be hard to predict and could be triggered by a person hitting a weak spot on a path even after it has been tracked many times. Below 8000 feet avalanches are unlikely today except for the possibility of small wet slides this afternoon as the clearing occurs and temperatures rise.
The possibility continues for humans to trigger hard slab avalanches in very steep avalanche paths. If triggered these slabs could be very large, have depths of four to eight feet, and are likely to cause serious injury or death.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )The next system that will impact the area tonight and Tuesday is to favor the east side of the Continental Divide. While locations such as Commisarry Ridge in the Salt River Range and Brooks Lake could see several inches of snow, little precipitation is expected in the Tetons. Temperatures are to be colder with higher elevations starting in the single digits and having highs in the low twenties. Winds are to be relatively light and vary in direction as this storm wraps around western WY. The avalanche danger will be Low in the Tetons. The snowpack is mostly stable but backcountry travelers still need to be respectful of terrain where very small avalanches, involving the few inches of new snow, could knock someone off their feet in unforgiving terrain.The danger will be Moderate above 8000 feet in the Southwest Trails and Togwotee Pass areas. In these areas, although the likelihood continues to decrease, the possibility for human triggered very large avalanches persists.
