Togwotee Pass

New and recent snow have formed wind slabs above 9000 feet. These slabs could be human triggered today with depths to over a foot. Backcountry travelers are encouraged to use caution as even small slides can pick up significant amounts of snow in runs that are steep and long, particularly given the loose snow that is available following a month of snowfall. Additionally. small slides can quickly sweep people into or over cliff areas and rocks in exposed terrain. Deep slab instabilities continue to be a concern above 7500 feet where larger triggers such as a moving wind slab or snow machine have some potential to trigger large avalanches. Avalanches are unlikely at the low elevations.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Snow is to fall through most of the night. The heaviest snowfall is expected by midnight. By sunrise up to ten inches of snow could have fallen since noon today. Winds are to veer from the southwest to northwest before 8am with averages between ten and twenty miles per hour. Temperature are to drop to the low teens overnight and rise into the mid-twenties during the day. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be moderate above 7500 feet, although, if stronger winds or more snow is received than expected the hazard could raise to Considerable at the high elevations. New wind slabs with depths to two feet could be found in steep loaded terrain. These slabs could be triggered by riders or skiers, particularly near cliff edges and on convex rollovers. Deep slabs, although slowly becoming more unlikely, could still fail. Initiation of one of the deep hard slabs is likely to take a large trigger such as a falling cornice, or a snowmachine impacting a weak spot on a slope.