Avalanche forecast

Tetons

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Today's sunshine may cause loose snow sloughs on steep sunlit slopes and cliff areas and increase the sensitivity of wind slabs to human triggers. A persistent deep slab avalanche hazard also exists above an elevation of 7,500 feet. These dangerous deep slabs are more likely to be triggered by snowmobiles but could be triggered by the weight of a skier. Avalanches are unlikely at the lower elevations.

Avalanche problems

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3

    Skiers and riders can still trigger dangerous persistent deep slab avalanches at the mid and upper elevations. Large triggers such as a snowmobile, cornice failure or the release of a wind slab are more likely to initiate the failure of a deep, hard slab avalanche. However, the weight of a single skier could be enough to trigger one of these persistent deep slabs if a shallow, weak zone is encountered. These low probability/high consequence slides could range in depth from two to five feet and will carry severe consequences for anyone involved.

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Pockets of wind slab up to two feet in depth could be triggered in steep avalanche starting zones, cliff areas and steep chutes. Sunshine and warming temperatures should increase the likelihood for skiers and riders to trigger wind slab avalanches.

Avalanche Discussion

Skies will be partly cloudy overnight and into the morning hours. Cloud cover will increase during the day as the next storm system approaches. Areas of light snowfall are likely to develop by evening. Temperatures will drop into the single digits overnight and rise into the teens and 20s during the day. Winds will be from the southwest and increase from 15 to 25 miles per hour with higher gusts.Instabilities associated with the recent new snow are believed to be mostly confined to isolated terrain features like cliff areas, steep chutes, steep corniced slopes and steep, wind loaded avalanche starting zones. Dangerous deep slab avalanches with depths from 2 to 5 feet are still a threat, especially for snowmobilers who climb steep slopes. The general avalanche hazard continues to be MODERATE at elevations between 7,500 and 10,500 feet and LOW below those elevations.

Regions covered