At the upper elevations, backcountry travelers could trigger shallow pockets of newly created wind slab in steep, wind-loaded terrain. Clearing skies and daytime warming will increase the likelihood of triggering these slabs along with the chance for sluffing of the new snow.
A cold front and associated upper level disturbance brought six to eight inches of new snow to the Tetons along with strong southwesterly ridgetop winds at 25 to 40 miles per hour. Above 9,000 feet, this scenario has created new surface slabs which lie upon firm crusts. Skiers and riders venturing into steep, avalanche-prone terrain could trigger these slabs with depths of six to twelve inches.
For Monday, high pressure will keep skies mostly clear. Overnight lows in the mountains will be twenty degrees, and day time highs will be in the upper thirties. Southwesterly ridgetop winds will range from fifteen to twenty miles per hour. In all forecast areas, the general avalanche hazard is expected to be low Monday morning. In the Tetons, where there is more new snow, the hazard will rise to moderate later in the day as sunshine and warming temperatures increase the chance of triggering new soft slabs and wet loose sluffs.
