Tetons

Recently developed slabs rest on a variety of weak layers and sliding surfaces, which include faceted snow, sun crusts and buried surface hoar. Yesterday around noon, a snowboarder triggered a large slide on a very steep southeast facing slope just south of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. At the mid and upper elevations, backcountry travelers venturing into steep terrain could trigger similar slides two to four feet deep on a variety of aspects. These slides, along with wet loose sluffs, will become easier to trigger on sunlit aspects and might release naturally as the day warms. Similar slabs up to two feet deep could be triggered at the lower elevations.

A high pressure ridge will re-establish itself over the region. That will bring a return of warmer air to the mountains and colder air to the valleys as a thermal inversion redevelops under this ridge. Temperatures will drop into the mid teens overnight at the summit level and into the single digits in the valleys. On Wednesday skies will be mostly sunny with highs rising into the mid 30s in the mountains and mid 20s in the valleys. Winds will be west at five to tem miles per hour. Dangerous unstable slabs up to three feet in depth lie upon persistent weak layers of faceted snow. As these slabs settle and strengthen the potential for humans to get out onto them and become a victim increases. Most avalanche fatalities occur when the general avalanche hazard is moderate or considerable. Instabilities associated with a dense slab on faceted snow are not only persistent but difficult to manage. Steep slopes could be crossed multiple times before a rider or skier crosses a sweet spot and triggers a killer avalanche. These conditions require respect and a conservative approach as consequences could be severe.On Wednesday the general avalanche hazard is expected to be CONSIDERABLE at the mid and higher elevations (7,500 to 10,500 feet) and MODERATE at the lower elevations. Humans who venture into steep avalanche prone terrain could be seriously injured or killed.