Tetons

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning through 5 AM on Monday. The general avalanche hazard could rise to Moderate before noon if forecasted snow and wind arrive. At the upper elevations, skiers and riders venturing into very steep, wind loaded terrain could trigger small to large slab avalanches along with loose snow sluffs. As the day progresses, the likelihood of triggering these slides will be on the rise as they increase in depth and volume. Avalanche activity is unlikely in most areas at the mid elevations, and insufficient snow exists for slides at the lower elevations. Don’t let the excitement of early season snowfall cloud your judgement. Evaluate the snowpack carefully, and be cognizant of the terrain below; even small slides can result in season ending injuries if skiers or riders are swept into bare, rocky slopes.

The best snow producing dynamics of this storm system are shifting east. Snowfall intensity will decrease overnight. A mix of clouds and sunshine with areas of snow showers are forecast for Monday. Westerly winds will subside to speeds of 15 to 25 with gusts to 35 miles per hour. Temperatures will be in the teens and 20s at the higher elevations and in the mid-30s in the valleys.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW. At the upper elevations strong winds have created pockets of dense wind slab. Isolated areas of instability may exist in association with the two different buried crusts discussed. Some potential exist for humans to trigger dense wind slabs 6 to 18 inches deep on Friday’s crust. Dense slabs, up to 2 feet in depth, that lie on the hard crust at the base of the snowpack could be a serious problem if triggered by humans who venture into extreme terrain. Evaluate the snowpack carefully. Small avalanches can cause serious injuries if skiers, riders or hunters are swept into rocky areas, over cliffs or into terrain traps. Avalanches are unlikely below an elevation of 9,000 feet.