Tetons

Continuing snowfall and strong winds have created easily triggered slabs to four feet in depth on steep, avalanche prone slopes at upper and mid elevations. Cooler temperatures may make slides more difficult to initiate. Slides from mitigation work at the Jackson Hole Resort yesterday were large and pulled out wider than usual and several started low in their slide paths. Similar avalanche behavior should be expected in the backcountry today. Freezing temperatures at low elevations have reduced the chance of wet slides but be alert to isolated pockets of wet-loose slides that could be human triggered in very steep areas like ravines.

A storm system will bring heavy snowfall to the region's mountains overnight into Wednesday morning. Five to ten inches of accumulation are expected in the Tetons and Greys River area mountains and four to seven inches in the Togwotee Pass area. Morning low temperatures will be in the low teens, warming to 20 degrees during the day. The snow will come with westerly winds of 25 miles per hour. Valley temperatures will be in the upper teens in the morning warming to the mid 20s. Snowfall will taper to occasional light snow during the day.Soft slabs will develop with the new snow and wind and will be sensitive to human triggers. Surface slides could release deeper, hard slabs to four feet in depth in steep avalanche terrain. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable in the Tetons and Southwest Trails/Greys river area mountains. In the Greys River area the possibility of human triggered wet slides continues in steep areas at lower elevations. In the Togwotee Pass area the hazard is expected to be Moderate as travelers will be able to release avalanches to 18 inches in depth in steep areas of bowls and gullies and slopes below ridge crests or cliff bands.