Tetons

Over the past several days strong winds and intermittent periods of new snow have increased the load on deep unstable hard slabs and created isolated pockets of shallow wind slab on leeward aspects. The potential persist for the weight of a single person to trigger a hard slab avalanche up to six feet in depth in steep avalanche paths that have not had recent avalanche activity. These hard slabs may be crossed multiple times before a weak spot is crossed and the slab fails. Therefor existing tracks should not be viewed as an indication of stability. At the lower elevations pockets of slab up to 18 inches in depth persist in very steep shaded slopes and could be human triggered.

A weak disturbance will bring two to four inches of new snow to the higher elevations overnight. On Thursday skies will be mostly cloudy with mountain snow showers. Accumulations of an inch or two are possible. Temperatures will be in the teens and low 20s. Winds will veer to the northwest at speeds of 10 to 20 miles per hour.Humans who venture into steep avalanche paths could trigger hard slabs up to five feet in depth, isolated pockets of shallow soft slab up to a foot in depth and pockets of stiffer wind slab up a foot in depth. A careful assessment of terrain and the snowpack and conservative terrain choices are essential as the consequences of triggering a deep hard slab could be fatal. Dangerous avalanche conditions persist and the general avalanche hazard is expected to be CONSIDERABLE in the Greys River and Teton Areas and MODERATE in the Togwotee Pass Area.