Clear skies and radiational cooling resulted in a light freeze overnight, causing the wet snow avalanche hazard to decrease to Low. Overnight temperatures in the mountains have remained close to or above freezing and the hazard will quickly increase to Moderate this morning. As surface crusts break down and lose cohesion, it will be possible for skiers and riders to trigger small to large wet slides on steep avalanche terrain. Natural-triggered wet slides and cornice failures are also possible as well as glide crack avalanches on slopes where they have historically occurred. Although these slides may start small, wet snow avalanches could gouge down into loose wet snow and entrain dense destructive debris. Wet snow can quickly change from stable to unstable and as this occurs, steep avalanche terrain should be avoided.
As temperatures warm into the 40s and 50s and intense solar radiation affects slopes, it will be possible for a person to trigger a wet slab avalanche up to 3 feet in depth. On slopes in direct sunlight, these slides could also occur naturally.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )A dry air mass and ridge of high pressure will continue to dominate the weather pattern through the weekend. A shortwave system passing across the northern Rockies may bring some high clouds to the areas tomorrow through Saturday. Overnight temperatures are expected to drop into the low 20s at the upper elevations and mid-20s in the valleys. Then as the day warms, mountain temperatures will range from the 40s to 50s and valleys will climb into the 50s to 60. Southwesterly ridgetop winds will continue to be 10 to 20 miles per hour. In all the forecast areas, the wet snow avalanche hazard will start Low and then increase as the day warms. As crusts break down and snow surfaces become wet, it will be possible for a person to trigger a wet snow avalanche on steep avalanche terrain. Depending on the duration of the overnight freeze, will determine how quickly the snowpack loses cohesion. On steep solar slopes, natural-triggered small wet loose slides will be possible as well as cornice failures. Wet snow can quickly change from stable to unstable and as this occurs, steep avalanche terrain should be avoided. In the Togwotee Pass Forecast area above 10,000 feet, the dry snow avalanche hazard will be Moderate in the morning. On some slopes, a person could trigger a large persistent slab avalanche one to two feet deep. Careful evaluation of the snowpack will be needed to assess this problem.
