Tetons

The snowpack is mostly stable in the early morning hours. At the upper elevations, backcountry travelers might be able to trigger an isolated pocket of dry slab up to 18 inches deep in very steep terrain that has not been heavily impacted by the sun. As warming temperatures and abundant sunshine quickly heat snow surfaces, wet slide activity could return before noon on very steep, sunlit slopes at the mid and upper elevations. Last week’s snowfall resides above stout melt-freeze crusts, and these sliding surfaces could allow wet slides to travel long distances and entrain significant amounts of wet snow. Get an early start and have a plan to safely descend before snow surfaces become wet. The lower elevation snowpack has undergone numerous melt-freeze cycles and is mostly stable. The backcountry remains crowded, and strict social distancing protocols should be followed.

High pressure and dry conditions are to continue through Tuesday. Morning temperatures are to be in the low twenties near 10,000 feet and in the upper twenties near the valleys. Highs are to again reach well into the forties at the higher elevations and into the fifties in the valleys. Consecutive melt-freeze cycles are providing a stable morning snowpack and the danger will be rated as Low at all elevations for the morning hours. As direct sunlight and rapidly increasing temperatures weaken the upper portion of the snowpack the danger will increase to Moderate as the chance for wet slides becomes possible. This snow is likely to just involve the recent snow above 9000 feet but could entrain deeper layers as it descends, particularly if the event occurs later in the day..