Above 8,000 feet, backcountry travelers could trigger recently developed wind slabs in steep, wind-loaded terrain. Any extended periods of sunshine in the afternoon could make these slides more susceptible to failure on sunlit aspects. As surface crusts breakdown at the lower elevations, shallow wet slides could become possible in the isothermal snowpack. Monitor how the weather is affecting the snow surfaces, and avoid areas with obvious signs of wind loading.
On Thursday, very strong southwesterly to westerly ridgetop winds combined with new snow to create dense wind slabs in leeward terrain. This snowfall came in warm and ended cool, which created a right-side-up snowfall event. Skiers and riders venturing into steep, avalanche-prone terrain could trigger these slabs to depths of 18 inches.
Expect partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies as a transitory ridge of high pressure builds into the region. Overnight lows in the mountains will be near 10 degrees before rising into the mid-20s during the day. Westerly ridgetop winds will range from 15 to 25 miles per hour overnight before decreasing to 5 to 15 miles per hour during the day.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be Moderate on Sunday. Above 8,500 feet, skiers and riders could trigger dense wind slabs six to 18 inches deep in steep, wind-loaded avalanche terrain. As the day warms, extended periods of sunshine could make these slabs more susceptible to failure in sunlit areas that warm quickly and collect heat. In the Togwotee Pass forecast zone, a small chance remains for backcountry travelers to trigger deep persistent slabs failing on faceted snow in the lower portion of the snowpack.
