Backcountry travelers continue to trigger recently developed wind slabs in the Tetons. Yesterday in a closed area at the Grand Targhee Resort, a skier triggered an eighteen inch slide and was swept over a cliff and partially buried, but not injured. A second slide was triggered by a skier in the backcountry south of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Both slides occurred in the mid elevations on northerly aspects. Similar slides, along with loose snow sluffs, are possible today and could become more likely on sunlit aspects if skies are mostly clear throughout the day. Evaluate the snowpack carefully and avoid high consequence terrain.
In steep, wind loaded avalanche terrain above 7,500 feet, backcountry travelers could trigger pockets of wind slab 6 to 18 inches in depth on a variety of aspects. These slides could fail either on density breaks within the storm snow or possibly down to the mid March hard snow surfaces.
After a chance for some lingering scattered snow showers this evening, dry conditions and decreasing cloud cover will set in after midnight as high pressure temporarily builds over the area. Overnight lows in the mountains will be near zero before rising into the mid teens during the day. Northwesterly ridgetop winds will remain light at 5 to 15 miles per hour.Above 7,500 feet, the General Avalanche Hazard is expected to be MODERATE on Monday. In steep, wind loaded avalanche terrain, backcountry travelers could trigger pockets of wind slab 6 to 18 inches in depth. These slabs could fail either on density breaks within the storm snow or possibly down to the mid March hard snow surfaces. On sunlit aspects, extended periods of clear skies in the afternoon could increase the likelihood of triggering these slides and bring about the possible of loose snow sluffing.
