Tetons

A foot or more of new snow and strong south-southwest winds in the past twenty four hours have created easily triggered soft slabs to two feet in depth on lee slopes at upper elevations. Soft slabs and sloughs to a foot in depth will also be easily triggered on southerly aspects at upper and mid elevatons where the new snow is poorly bonded to widespread sun crusts. At lower elevations the snowpack is mostly stable.

The next weather system is to bring snow the mountains again tonight. Accumulations of over five inches are expected by morning. Mountain morning temperatures are to be in the upper teens and rise into the twenties. Winds on Thursday are to be Southwesterly with 25-35 mph averages. In the Teton and Southwest Trails Areas the General Avalanche Hazard is expected to be Moderate on Thursday. New snow and wind will add loads to existing slabs and human triggered soft slabs to two feet in depth in steep terrain at higher elevations will be possible. If stronger winds or more than anticipated snowfall occur the hazard could rise to Considerable.The hazard in the Togwotee Area is expected to be Low where the possibility will exist for humans to trigger isolated pockets of surface slabs on hard snow surfaces.