Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

The general avalanche hazard is CONSIDERABLE. Dangerous hard slabs to four foot depths lie in avalanche terrain. Very strong winds have resulted in the surface of the slabs presenting as strong and supportive, hiding the fact that they underlain by weak snow and crusts. These slabs will be more prone to failure in very steep terrain under heavy loads as created by snowmobiles however single skiers or boarders may still cause their failure when a weak point in the snowpack is hit. Under these conditions tracks are no indication of stability and these slabs may fail even after many others have risked exposure on a slope. In the afternoon very strong winds and falling snow will form new shallow soft slabs on the surface. Conservative decision making is essential.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Another storm is on track to bring snow to the area by sunrise through the evening. Snowfall rates are to increase in the afternoon as a cold air impacts the storm and west winds are forecast to have averages near forty miles per hour through most of the daylight hours. Temperatures in the teens are expected.The general avalanche hazard will be Considerable. Dense to hard slabs with depths to four feet lie in avalanche terrain. In very steep terrain the chance continues to trigger these dangerous slabs. Failure may occur even after a slab has been tracked several times when a single person hits a weak point. Larger loads such as snowmobiles are also more likely to impact the weak layer under the firm surface snow and trigger such an event. In the afternoon new shallow surface slabs may develop as strong winds distribute the falling snow.