Avalanche forecast

Tetons

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 12 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Abundant sunshine, warm temperatures and calm conditions will combine to heat up and destabilize a snowpack that is struggling to adjust to 36 days of loading. The hazard will increase at all elevations as the day warms. At the mid and upper elevations deep persistent slabs with depths of four to eight feet and dense surface slabs with depths to three feet could be triggered by the weight of a single person. At the lower elevations wet slides are possible on steep slopes after snow surfaces have softened.

Avalanche problems

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    3

    Up to 200 inches of new snow with 23 inches of moisture has accumulated on weak January drought surfaces. Killer hard slabs with crown depths to eight feet could be triggered by the weight of a single person. These dangerous slabs could be triggered on slopes that have been crossed multiple times by other riders or skiers and will become increasingly sensitive to human triggers as temperatures increase.

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Dense winds slabs up to three feet in depth will become increasingly sensitive to human triggers as the day warms. Once triggered these surface slabs could cause the failure of an underlying deep persistent slab.

  • Wet Slabs

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

    The potential for humans to trigger wet slides on steep snow covered slopes at the lower elevations will increase as snow surfaces soften.

Avalanche Discussion

Skies are expected to be at least partially clear overnight which should allow for snow surfaces to harder by daybreak as temperatures drop into the 20s. On Sunday we will see increasing clouds in the afternoon with snow develolping by evening with rain below an elevation of 7,500 feet. A warming trend will continue into Monday. Temperatures on Sunday will rise into the mid 30s at the summit level and into the 40s at the mid elevations. Winds will back to the southwest and increase to 30 with gusts to 45 miles per hour by evening.Humans who venture into very steep avalanche starting zones and cliff areas could trigger surface slabs up to two feet in depth. In addition some potential persist for snowmobilers and skiers to trigger dangerous deep hard slabs with depths to eight feet in areas with poor snowpack structure. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be CONSIDERABLE.

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