Surface slabs formed by wind lie on a variety of aspects at the mid and high elevations. These slabs could be released by a single rider or skier. A slight potential also persists at the high elevations to trigger older hard slabs that lie upon hard crusts formed in early December. Avalanches are unlikely at the low elevations except for in small isolated pockets in the very steep terrain.
Winds that have ranged from the southwest through the north to northeast and back to the west have transported this weeks snowfall into surface slabs on a variety of aspects. These slabs are likely to be hard, have depths to one foot and could be triggered in steep rocky terrain that show signs of recent wind loading.
At the upper elevations, faceted snow lies upon wind pack and sun crusts formed during the early December dry period. The potential exists for backcountry riders and skiers to trigger persistent hard slabs up to an additional three feet.
A low pressure trough will track across Wyoming from the Pacific Northwest into the Central Plains. This system will bring moisture to the region through Sunday night and will be followed by an arctic cold front. Cold, light density snowfall is expected overnight and through the day on Sunday. Accumulations of a foot or more of new snow are likely by Monday morning. Temperatures will remain in the single digits. Winds will be west-southwest at 15 to 20 with gusts to 30 miles per hour.Slab avalanches with depths of one to three feet could be human triggered in steep terrain at the mid and upper elevations. Avalanches are unlikely at the lower elevations. With new snow in the forecast the general avalanche hazard is expected to be CONSIDERABLE at the upper elevations, MODERATE at the mid elevations and LOW below an elevations of 7,500 feet.
