Tetons

Yesterday, a skier triggered a pocket of wind slab on a northwest facing aspect near the summit of Table Mountain at an elevation of 10,750 feet. Skiers and riders might be able to trigger a similar wind loaded pocket in steep, leeward terrain near upper elevation ridgelines. As the day warms and the sun impacts snow surfaces, the primary hazard at all elevations will be wet loose and wet slab avalanches developing first at the lower elevations and moving up into the higher elevations later on. These slow moving slides have the potential to entrain significant amounts of snow and become destructive. Skiers and riders, along with cornice failures, could trigger these small to large slides on sunlit aspects. Natural activity could also develop. Terrain management is the way to avoid these slides. Get an early start, monitor temperatures and the impact of the sun, and transition to shaded slopes when snow surfaces become damp. If you are skiing high up in the Central Tetons, have a plan to safely descend in shaded terrain before you start your day.

Southwesterly flow aloft will bring increasing cloud cover overnight, and partly to mostly cloudy skies are expected during the day on Monday. Some light snowfall may develop in the afternoon, but any accumulations will be minimal. Overnight lows in the mountains will be near 20 before rising into the mid-30s in the afternoon. Southerly to southwesterly ridgetop winds at 10 to 15 miles per hour will increase to 15 to 25 in the afternoon.The general avalanche hazard is expected to remain Moderate on Monday. At all elevations, the threat of wet slides could return as the day warms depending on the timing and amount of sunshine that reaches snow surfaces. Large to very large, human triggered persistent deep slab avalanches will continue to be a concern in the Togwotee Pass and Southwest Trails forecast zones. These deadly slabs could also step down from the release of a wet slide or be triggered by a cornice drop. Monitor temperatures and the impact of the sun, and transition to shaded slopes if snow surfaces become damp.