Tetons

Fifteen inches of light-density snow from the weekend rests on slick sun crusts on southern exposures and old loose snow on northerly aspects. Backcountry travelers can expect to easily release sloughs in steep areas. Avalanches could entrain larger amounts of snow resulting in dangerous debris volumes or possibly pull out deeper, hard slabs. At low elevations the snow is mostly stable but avoid ravines and terrain traps where sloughs could pile up deep snow.

Partly to mostly cloudy skies are forecasted for Wednesday with no precipitation and daytime highs at 9500 feet reaching the low teens after overnight lows 5 to 10 below zero. Winds overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning will be strong from the north then east at 20 to 25 miles per hour. Steep thermal inversions will hold frigid air in the valley floors. Loose sloughs will continue to be the primary concern of backcountry travelers but strong upper elevation winds may develop easily triggered soft slabs on lee slopes. Once started, slabs will have the potential to pull out large amounts of loose snow and result in deep deposition. The general avlanche danger is expected to be Moderate on Wednesday in the Teton and Togwotee Pass areas. In the Greys River area deeper, hard slabs continue to be more sensitive to triggers and have the potential to run full path. The hazard there will be Considerable.