Togwotee Pass

The general avalanche hazard is CONSIDERABLE. The potential remains for Riders and skiers to trigger surface slabs to two foot depths in steep wind loaded avalanche terrain. These slabs were affected by strong winds and will present as supportive and strong but are underlain by weak snow and may fail after a slope has been tracked repeatedly. Once triggered these slabs could pull out deeper layers of snow to four foot depths. Strong winds and new snow are expected to form sensitive soft shallow surface slabs this afternoon.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Another storm is on track to bring snow to the area by sunrise through the evening. Snowfall rates are to increase in the afternoon as a cold air impacts the storm and west winds are forecast to have averages near forty miles per hour through most of the daylight hours. Temperatures in the teens are expected.The general avalanche hazard will be Considerable. Dense to hard slabs with depths to four feet lie in avalanche terrain. In very steep terrain the chance continues to trigger these dangerous slabs. Failure may occur even after a slab has been tracked several times when a single person hits a weak point. Larger loads such as snowmobiles are also more likely to impact the weak layer under the firm surface snow and trigger such an event. In the afternoon new shallow surface slabs may develop as strong winds distribute the falling snow.