The avalanche hazard is Low this morning as below freezing overnight temperatures have hardened the surface and stabilized the snowpack. This hard surface will quickly soften as it weakened by sunlight and rapidly warming temperatures. By this afternoon, the avalanche hazard will raise to Moderate. The possibility for natural and human triggered wet slide activity will increase as will the slight chance to trigger slab avalanches in isolated areas, that could fail deep within the snowpack.
In isolated areas above 9,000 feet, limited potential remains for skiers and riders to trigger hard slabs with depths up to three feet. Very large avalanches might be triggered by snow machines in extreme terrain like the east face of Lava Mountain.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Clearer conditions tonight are to provide for freezing to occur at all elevations by morning. Skies will be mostly sunny and mountain temperatures are to reach the upper thirties to low forties. Tomorrow morning surface crusts will be present in all low elevation terrain and in terrain at higher elevations that were exposed to direct sunlight and/or significant warming today. The avalanche hazard will be Low in the morning and increase to Moderate in the afternoon as the snowpack weakens to warming, increasing the chance for limited pockets of slabs to eighteen inches and providing for the possibility of wet slides. In the Togwotee area, weaker snow persists and a very slight chance remains to trigger deeper slabs in terrain with northerly aspects.
