Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Extremely strong westerly winds with gusts to 133 miles per hour at the Mt. Coffin weather station in the Wyoming Range are eroding snow on upwind aspects and redistributing it. Some shallow pockets of wind slab less than a foot in depth could form in isolated areas. Monitor conditions and adjust plans accordingly if snowfall intensity rapidly increases and is sustained. The snow cover is quite shallow below an elevation of 8,000 feet.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )The next weather system will begin to impact the region overnight. Light snow is expected to develop and increase in intensity ahead of an associated cold front. Accumulations of five to ten inches are possible at the higher elevations before skies begin to clear later in the day. Increasing westerly winds will accompany the snowfall. Gusts as high as 60 miles per hour are expected to cause significant drifting and reduce visibility. Temperatures will be in the teens and 20s. The new snow is anticipated to favor the western portions of our forecast region including the Teton, Snake River and Salt River Ranges. The combination of new snow and strong winds are expected to create new soft slabs and could increase the hazard to MODERATE at the higher elevations in those areas. Areas that receive lesser amounts of snow will experience an increasing but generally lower hazard. The new snow is not initially expected to bond well to old snow surfaces. Human triggered avalanches involving the new snow with crowns from 6 to 18 inches deep are possible in steep wind loaded avalanche starting zones. Monitor conditions and avoid steep terrain where rapid loading of new snow is occurring or has recently occurred.