Mostly stable snow exists and avalanches are unlikely at the mid and lower elevations and in a significant portion of the terrain at the upper elevations. At the upper elevations dense wind slabs have some potential to be human triggered in steep, active, avalanche starting zones and cliff areas. Expertly placed explosive charges triggered several deep, hard slab avalanches at the Grand Targhee Resort yesterday morning. These events released on unsupported slopes on the north aspect of Peaked Mountain, had crown depths up to four feet deep and failed on faceted snow at the base of the snowpack. The starting zones of these avalanche paths are located above cliff areas and face nearly due north at an elevation of 9,200 to 9,800 feet.
At the upper elevations dense wind slabs up to 18 inches in depth could be human triggered in steep terrain. These slabs were formed two days ago by west-southwest to west winds.
A deep hard slab avalanche hazard is isolated to extreme terrain like unsupported hanging snowfields, cliff areas and corniced ridge lines. These slabs are unlikely to be human triggered. If triggered these slabs will be three to four feet deep and could pull out steep slopes beneath the cliffs from which they release.
A weak disturbance passing by over the next 24 hours could bring periods of snow to the region . Accumulations will be less than four inches total and new snow is expected to be dense, as it has been recently. Periods of light rain are possible during the afternoon at lower elevations. Temperatures are to be similar to todays with summits staying below freezing but terrain at lower elevations reaching the mid to upper thirties depending on cloud cover following overnight freezing that will harden the snow surfaces. The general avalanche hazard below 9000 feet is expected to be LOW where a mostly stable snowpack lies. Above 9000 feet the hazard will MODERATE. Recently formed wind slabs to depths of eighteen inches could be found in very steep wind loaded terrain. In high north facing cliff areas, unsupported slabs of three or four feet lie upon old crusts. These slabs may not be listed as a current concern to the general advisory as they are in very isolated areas of extreme terrain that are seeing little to no traffic, and are likely to require a large trigger such as a cornice drop, which have not yet significantly developed this early in the season.
