Tetons

This morning the avalanche hazard will begin as Low and then as daily warming breaks down surface crusts, the hazard will increase to Moderate. In the afternoon, it will be possible for skiers and riders to trigger small wet slides on steep, sunlit slopes at all elevations. Above-freezing temperatures and strong solar radiation can quickly change the snow’s surface from supportable and very stable to wet and unstable. If a slide occurs, there is potential for these avalanches to grow in size by entraining wet snow and becoming destructive. Even a small slide in serious terrain could have severe consequences if a person is swept off a cliff or down a steep couloir. Monitor conditions for wet snow avalanches and in the afternoon, as the snow loses cohesion avoid steep sunlit slopes.

The high-pressure ridge will exit to the east of the region as a southwest flow aloft sets up over the state for Friday. Then Friday night, a weather system will bring snowfall to the western mountains. Tomorrow morning, temperatures are expected to start out a few degrees warmer than today and rise into the upper 30s and 40s. Skies will be partly cloudy with increasing cloud cover throughout the day. Ridgetop winds will be southerly to southwesterly at 10 to 20 mph. Tomorrow morning in all the forecast areas, the avalanche hazard will start Low and then increase as the day warms. By the afternoon, the avalanche hazard is expected to increase to Moderate. It will be possible for skiers and riders to trigger small wet slides on steep terrain, especially in direct sunlight. These slides are most likely to occur on southerly-facing slopes protected from the wind. The warmer temperatures could also cause cornices to fail. Backcountry travelers should monitor the wet snow conditions as slopes can quickly change from supportable surfaces to wet loose snow. In the Grey’s River and Togwotee Pass forecast areas, lingering deep persistent slab avalanches are unlikely, but there remains the possibility for this low probability high consequence hazard to be triggered by a large cornice drop or the release of a wet slab. Suspect slopes should be avoided.