Tetons

Four to five feet or more of new snow since Thursday have created dangerous avalanche conditions at Upper and Mid elevations. Human triggered avalanches with slab depths of 1 to 6 feet in depth are likely. Sunshine on slopes will make them more sensitive to triggers. People or sun will easily start sloughs in the new five to eight inches of snow. The sloughs could trigger the deeper slabs and result in large, dangerous avalanches. At low elevations slabs to 2 feet in depth could be triggered in very steep areas such as ravines or near cliff areas. Cautious route-finding and conservative decision-making are essential for safe travel today.

Light snow will develop Tuesday evening and continue at times through Wednesday. Mountain temperatures will rise from the single digits Wednesday morning to the mid 20s during the day. Ridge top winds will be westerly at 20 to 25 miles per hour.The avalanche danger will continue to be CONSIDERABLE in the Tetons and Greys River areas Wednesday. As today's avalanche events showed the weak foundation of this year's snowpack translates to prolonged periods of instability after new storm events. Crusts, faceted snow, buried light density snow and periods of sunshine combine to create lethal conditions on avalanche prone terrain. Events similar to those on Tuesday should be expected Wednesday particularly with any periods of sunshine.The hazard is expected to be MODERATE in the Togwotee Pass area where two feet or more of storm snow sits on another two feet of very weak, faceted snow to the ground. Multiple people on a slope at the same time or high marking in snow machines are likely triggers for dangerous avalanches on steep terrain.