Tetons

Overnight, new soft slabs up to 10 inches in depth have formed on wind loaded aspects. These slabs overlie a variety of weak layers including supportable sun crusts on sunlit aspects to surface hoar and near surface facets on shaded aspects and will likely be easy to trigger, posing their greatest threat in terrain above cliff areas or terrain traps. The general avalanche hazard is LOW at all elevations early this morning but will quickly rise to MODERATE at the upper and mid elevations as another 4 inches of snow with strong Southwest winds are forecasted throughout the day. By this afternoon, slabs could reach 18 inches in depth.

A moist post frontal northwest flow will continue to bring several inches of new snow to the mountains tonight and continued snow showers to the mountains on Sunday. Moderate northwest winds will continue to cause blowing snow along ridgelines and through mountain passes adding additional loads to unstable slopes. Temperatures in the mountains will fall to zero or below tonight and remain in the single digits on Sunday. AVALANCHE HAZARD FOR THE TETON, TOGWOTEE PASS/CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND GREYS RIVER/SOUTHWEST TRAILS AREAThe general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE on Sunday at the mid and upper elevations (8,000 to 10,500 feet). Soft surface slabs up to 18 inches in depth formed by southwest to northwest winds lie upon unstable weak layers of faceted snow and good sliding surfaces. These unstable slabs are likely to be easily triggered by humans on a variety of steep wind loaded aspects. Significant loose new snow sluffs are also likely to be easily triggered by humans on steep slopes without wind deposits. The general avalanche hazard below 8,000 is expected to be LOW. Below this elevation the snowpack is still quite shallow and avalanches are unlikely except for small loose snow sluffs and isolated pockets of shallow soft slab on very steep snow covered slopes.