Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

The General Avalanche Hazard is MODERATE. Recent daytime warming and overnight freezing has hardened and strengthened the snow surface. Although these cycles have made it harder to trigger the existing surface slabs, the potential remains for large triggers such as snowmobiles or groups of skiers to cause their release in steep avalanche starting zones. These surface slabs lie to depths of two feet but could pull out deeper layers of snow that lie on older buried weaknesses in the snowpack.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )A system is expected to bring snow to the area Thursday morning through Thursday afternoon. Cooler temperatures are expected in the morning with afternoon highs expected to reach the upper twenties. Southwest to West winds are expected at 25 to 35 mph. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW in the Tetons. Colder temperatures throughout the day and stronger winds are expected to keep the existing snow surface frozen, making it unlikely to trigger avalanches except for in isolated pockets in steep shaded terrain. The hazard may increase if significantly higher than forecasted temperatures occur.In the Togwotee Pass and Greys River areas the hazard is expected to be MODERATE. Cold temperatures and wind are expected to keep the snow surface hard except for in the most shaded areas where recent warming has not formed a melt-freeze crust. The potential remains for larger triggers such as snowmobilers to trigger slab avalanches in steep terrain. Such slabs could involve buried weak layers as deep as the ground level and are more likely to occur on North facing slopes. Above freezing temperatures will increase the potential for avalanche activity.