Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Western Wyoming effective from 5 AM this morning to 5 AM Tuesday morning. As the day progresses, isolated pockets of new surface slabs will build above 9,000 feet. These slabs are forming on faceted snow and a hard rain crust that formed in October which persist northerly aspects above 9,000 feet. In these areas, skiers and riders might be able to trigger these shallow slabs, along with loose snow sluffs. Early season conditions exist, and even small slides can cause serious injury by carrying backcountry travelers into exposed rocks and other obstacles. Elsewhere, the snowpack lacks sufficient depth for avalanche activity.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Cloud cover will increase overnight ahead of a Pacific low pressure system that will begin to bring periods of snowfall in the early morning hours. Snowfall will continue during the day with mountain accumulations of four to eight inches possible by the evening. Overnight lows at the higher elevations will drop into the mid-20s before rising into the upper 20s during the day. Southwesterly ridgetop winds at 10 to 15 miles per hour will veer to the northwest as the center of the low pressure system tracks to the northeast through the four corners.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW Monday morning and could rise to MODERATE in the afternoon if steady snowfall occurs throughout the day. In the higher elevation areas where the October crust exists, skiers and riders could trigger surface slabs six to twelve inches deep in steep, avalanche-prone terrain.