Backcountry travelers could trigger loose snow sluffs and soft surface slabs in steep avalanche terrain above 7,500 feet. Much higher consequences are associated with large to very large persistent slab avalanches. Skiers and riders continue to have the potential of triggering these dangerous slabs on a variety of aspects and elevations. Conservative decision making and cautious route finding will be necessary for safe travel in avalanche terrain.
The Southwest Trails forecast zone has received around a foot of new snow since Thursday morning. Winds associated with this snowfall have been light, and slab development has been limited. In steep, higher elevation avalanche terrain, skiers and riders could trigger soft surface slabs with depths up to 18 inches.
Poor snowpack structure is widespread. On a variety of aspects above 7,500 feet, skiers and riders continue to have the potential of triggering persistent slab avalanches with depths ranging from two to five feet. These slabs could also step down from the release of a wind slab or sizable loose snow sluff. Large triggers, such as snowmobiles, are more likely to initiate one of these slabs. Below 7,500 feet, where sugary snow lies below stronger snow, persistent slab avalanches with depths of one to two feet could be human triggered.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Dry conditions and partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies are in store for Western Wyoming on Sunday. Overnight lows in the mountains will drop into the single digits before rising into the mid-teens during the day. Ridgetop winds will be light and variable.The general avalanche hazard is expected to remain Moderate in the Teton and Togwotee Pass forecast zones. In steep avalanche terrain, skiers and riders could trigger loose snow sluffs and small to large, soft surface slabs. Triggering large to very large persistent slab avalanches is becoming unlikely. In the higher elevations of the Tetons, these low probability/high consequence events are likely restricted to failures occurring in faceted layers that formed on the surface of the snowpack or faceted snow surrounding crusts. To the northeast on Togwotee Pass, basal weak layers that formed early in the season are the most concerning.Similar soft surface slabs and loose snow sluffs involving the recent snowfall could be human triggered in the Southwest Trails forecast zone. The likelihood for backcountry travelers to trigger large to very large persistent slab avalanches is greater than the other two areas, and the general avalanche hazard will stay at Considerable on Sunday.
