Recent snowfall has favored the eastern slope of the Continental Divide. Pockets of wind slab could be human triggered today on a variety of aspects. These wind slabs will be deeper and more widespread on the east side of the divide and in the Union Pass area. In isolated areas at the upper elevations some potential may also persist for snowmobilers to trigger deep hard slabs in steep avalanche prone terrain.
Pockets of dense wind slab could be human triggered today. These slabs were formed by new and recent snow to depths to two feet. These slabs lie upon crusts and areas of buried surface hoar. Sunshine and rising temperatures may increase the sensitivity of these slabs to human triggers
Weak layers of faceted snow persist in the snowpack. At the upper elevations some potential may remain for snowmobilers to trigger hard slab avalanches with depths to four feet in steep, avalanche-prone slopes.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Snowfall and strong winds will continue overnight and favor the Wyoming, Salt River and Wind River mountains. Snowfall will linger over those areas in the morning as snow shower activity in the mountains decreases and skies begin to clear from the north and west to the east and south. East to northeast winds will continue overnight with average speeds of 20 to 30 and gusts to 40 miles per hour. Temperatures will fall into the teens and 20s overnight and rise into the 20s in the mountains and to near 40 degrees in the valleys.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE at the higher elevations and CONSIDERABLE in the areas that were favored by this storm system. Dense wind slabs one to two feet in depth could be human triggered on a variety of aspects. Those slabs will be larger and more widespread along and on the east side of the Continental Divide and the Wyoming Range and in the Union Pass area. The hazard will be LOW at the lower elevations in the non-favored areas.
