Two avalanche problems are possible today resulting from yesterday's snowfall. These include wind slab and loose snow sluffs. Any extended periods of sunshine will make these slides more susceptible to failure on sunlit aspects. Take note of the wind's effect on the snowpack and move to shaded slopes if snow surfaces begin to change under the influence of the sun.
At the mid and upper elevations, pockets of wind slab up to 18 inches deep could be triggered by backcountry travelers in steep, wind loaded avalanche terrain. Northerly ridgetop winds will continue to transport yesterday's light density snow.
In steep, non-wind affected terrain, skiers and riders will be able to trigger loose snow sluffs. These slides could entrain significant amounts of new snow in very steep, sustained chutes and couloirs. With sufficient solar warming, these slides could also release naturally later in the day.
Expect increasing cloud cover during the day on Monday before a Pacific storm system begins to bring snow starting late Monday. Overnight lows in the mountains will be in the single digits before rising into the teens during the day. Northwesterly ridgetop winds will back to the west at 10 to 20 miles per hour.The General Avalanche Hazard is expected to be MODERATE on Monday in the Tetons. Backcountry travelers could trigger pockets of recently developed wind slabs up to 18 inches deep in steep, wind loaded avalanche terrain. Any extended periods of sunshine will make these slides more susceptible to failure on sunlit aspects.Persistent slabs up to three feet in depth continue to pose a threat to skiers and riders in the Greys River and Togwotee Pass areas. In the Togwotee Pass area, the General Avalanche Hazard is expected to be MODERATE. The General Avalanche Hazard is expected to be CONSIDERABLE in the Greys River area where these slabs are more widespread and easier to trigger. New snowfall from Saturday also added some weight to the underlying weak layers.
