Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

This morning the avalanche hazard will start as Low. Overnight temperatures fell to near or just below the freezing point and provided for a hard but thin surface crust that will make avalanche activity very unlikely. The hazard will quickly rise to Moderate as the crust and the underlying snowpack are weakened by sunlight and very warm temperatures and the chance for wet slides develops. This activity could be in the form of wet loose slides in steep terrain or as small wet slabs in higher terrain that had previous wind loading. Wet slab release is very hard to predict and high elevation steep avalanche starting zones should be avoided during this very warm weather pattern.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Overnight temperatures are to reach close to the freezing point. Snow surfaces will be hard and frozen in the morning and will quickly soften as they are heated by sunlight and increasing temperatures. The avalanche hazard will raise from Low in the early morning to Moderate in the late morning as the chance for wet slides becomes possible. This activity will mainly be wet loose activity in steep terrain, although wet slab activity is possible in isolated areas, and most likely in the togowotee pass area where weaker snow persists.