Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

The General Avalanche Hazard is CONSIDERABLE and will rise during the day as strong westerly winds continue to transport new snow, increasing the depth of new soft slabs to two feet, and older slabs to five feet. These slabs, along with loose snow sluffs, could release naturally or be easily triggered by backcountry travelers in steep, wind loaded terrain. Any extended periods of sunshine in the afternoon will make these slides more susceptible to failure. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route finding, and conservative decision making will all be essential for safe travel in avalanche terrain today.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )The strong Pacific storm system to the southwest will move into Southern and Western Wyoming overnight and into Tuesday. Ample moisture and unstable convective cells will bring periods of moderate to heavy snowfall through tomorrow with storm totals of 10 to 18 inches in the mountains. Westerly winds will also increase during this period with hourly averages of 25 to 35 miles per hour. Overnight lows in the mountains will be in the mid to upper teens, rising into the low 20s on Tuesday.The General Avalanche Hazard is expected to be CONSIDERABLE on Tuesday morning and could increase to HIGH in the afternoon if forecasted snowfall and strong winds materialize. New soft slabs, up to two feet in depth, could quickly build by Tuesday afternoon. In steep, wind loaded terrain these slabs could release naturally or be easily triggered by backcountry travelers. Some potential persists for failure of deeper hard slabs up to four feet. Backcountry travelers need to monitor conditions and refrain from traveling in avalanche terrain if significant snowfall and drifting conditions prevail.