Togwotee Pass

The snowpack is mostly stable as it has undergone melt-freeze cycles since the beginning of March. Today, new snow is expected with moderate to strong winds, and these conditions could form shallow small pockets of wind slab on leeward slopes at the highest elevations. The new snow is falling on firm surfaces, so loose snow sluffing could occur naturally on steep slopes. If there are periods of sunshine, the new snow could become reactive and easily slide on firm surfaces. Monitor the development of the storm and the strange loading pattern with atypical easterly winds.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )As a weather system moves from the west into Nevada, it is expected to bring periods of snowfall across the forecast areas into Friday. Tonight, snowfall should favor the Salt River and Wyoming ranges with 1 to 2 inches of accumulation in the mountains by the morning. Then tomorrow, snow is expected to develop over the Teton and Togwotte Pass forecast areas and continue over the Grey’s River forecast area with 1 to 3 inches of accumulation. Mountain temperatures will start in the teens and then warm into the upper twenties and thirties. Winds will continue to be out of the east at 15 to 20 miles per hour with gusts into the thirties. Due to the convective nature of a spring storm, there could be locations with heavier snowfall, especially in the southern portion of the forecast area. The new snow will fall on old snow surfaces of melt-freeze crust, dense settled snow, and firm cold snow on high northerly-facing slopes. In areas that receive more snowfall, shallow surface slabs could form on leeward slopes above 9,000 feet. If there are periods of sunshine, the new snow could become reactive and easily slide on firm surfaces. The avalanche hazard is expected to be Low. Monitor the development of the storm and the strange loading pattern with atypical easterly winds.