Areas of unstable snow persist at the upper elevations. Humans who venture into steep avalanche starting zones could trigger slab avalanches one to two feet in depth. Avalanches are unlikely at the mid and lower elevations. Grand Targhee Resort is preparing its slopes for a Friday opening and therefor the resort is closed to uphill travel today and on Thanksgiving Day.
Areas of instability persist on steep easterly and northerly aspects at the upper elevations. Today's new snow and strong southwest winds will increase the load on these unstable slabs.
A fast moving storm system with very strong winds will move over the area tonight. Two to four inches of new snow are expected in the mountains overnight. Some higher elevation terrain may pick up as much as six inches by morning. This snow will be driven by strong west winds with gusts to near 70 miles per hour and falling temperatures.On Thursday skies will be mostly cloudy with a diminishing chance of snow showers. Temperatures will be in the teens. Winds will be west to west-northwest at 10 to 20 miles per hour.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE at the upper elevations and LOW at the mid and lower elevations. At the upper elevations pockets of stiff new wind slab up to a foot deep are expected to form on leeward aspects. Some potential may also persist for humans to trigger isolated pockets of older dense slabs up to 18 inches deep that lie upon buried surface hoar and hard crusts in north facing upper elevation avalanche paths.
