Late yesterday afternoon, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Department received a call that a snowmobiler was missing in an avalanche accident northeast of the Sheep Creek area in the Snake River Range. Rescuers made it to the accident scene yesterday evening and will return this morning to resume recovery efforts. Also this week, a snowboarder died in an avalanche on Mt. Taylor on April 1. These are tragic events, and our deepest condolences go out to the friends and families of these avalanche victims. The snow that fell on Tuesday has settled and is bonding to old snow surfaces. However, some instability remains at the higher elevations (above 9,000 feet) on very steep, avalanche-prone slopes. These instabilities may increase in sensitivity on solar slopes that receive warming from the sunshine. Humans who venture into those areas could trigger large slab avalanches. Avalanches are unlikely below an elevation of 9,000 feet, except for the possibility of small, wet, loose slides during the warmest periods of the day. Please be conservative with your actions and stay up to date with Health Department emergency alerts at, http://www.tetonwyo.org/163/Health-Dept
Above 9,000 feet, drifted snow lies over a variety of surfaces including crusts. These wind slabs could be up to 2 feet in depth and could release under the weight of a single person. Due to clear skies and warming temperatures, the likelihood of triggering these slab avalanches may increase as the day warms and solar radiation melts snow surfaces.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Overcast to mostly cloudy skies overnight should clear by the morning as a brief ridge of high pressure builds over the region. On Saturday, skies are expected to be mostly sunny until the late afternoon when cloud cover will increase. Mountain temperatures will range from the teens to low thirties and valleys will climb into the upper 30's. Southwesterly winds should be 15 to 25 miles per hour. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be moderate tomorrow at the higher elevations (above 9,000 feet) and low below that elevation. Humans who venture into steep avalanche prone terrain features at the upper elevations could trigger slab avalanches up to 2 feet deep. These slabs may increase in sensitivity during the warmest periods of the day. Due to clear skies and above freezing temperatures, wet loose avalanches could be possible on solar aspects in the afternoon. As snow surfaces transition from damp to wet, backcountry travelers are recommended to seeks shaded terrain. Please be conservative with your actions and stay up to date with the Teton County Wyoming Health Department emergency alerts, http://www.tetonwyo.org/163/Health-Dept.
