Tetons

New surface slabs have formed in avalanche terrain. At the mid and high elevations these slabs lie upon a variety of sliding surfaces including crusts and surface hoar and could be easily human triggered in steep terrain to depths of over a foot early this morning. The size and sensitivity of these slabs will increase throughout the day, with natural avalanche activity becoming possible as the snowfall continues. This new load to the snowpack will also increase the chance of triggering slides on a buried weak faceted layer three to four deep. At low elevations backcountry users will have an increasing chance of triggering pockets of surface slabs that lie upon hard snow and surface hoar.

A weak system may bring some periods of light snow to the mountains Friday after a drier colder weather pattern overtakes the area tonight. High mountain temps in the single digits and 10-15mph Northwesterly winds are expected. The General Avalanche Hazard is expected to be MODERATE on Friday. Backcountry skiers and riders will have the potential to trigger soft slabs to eighteen inches in depth that lie upon hard snow surfaces and surface hoar in steep avalanche terrain. The potential also will exist to trigger deeper slabs that lie upon a well developed and preserved weak faceted layer especially in the Greys and Togwotee area where the weak layer is more developed, and is more significantly stressed by the new snow load.