New wind slabs will be sensitive to riders and skiers in steep leeward terrain above 7500 feet. Additional hazard exists as the chance continues for deeper hard slabs to fail in high elevation starting zones. Avalanches are unlikely below 7500 feet except for in shallow isolated pockets. Conservative decision making is essential today,
New snow has further loaded older persistent slabs that lie upon buried layers of weak snow. These dangerous slabs exist on north through east to south facing slopes at the higher elevations. Skiers and riders could trigger these slabs with depths to three feet.
Very strong southwest to west winds have formed new dense slabs above 7500 feet. These slabs could have depths to eighteen inches at the high elevations and depths to one foot at the mid elevations.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Snow and strong winds are to continue through the night although snowfall intensity is to decrease. On Friday lingering snow showers could bring minimal accumulations during the day. Temperatures are to rise into the mid to upper twenties. Winds during the day are to be westerly to southwesterly with 15-30 mph averages. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be Moderate at the mid and high elevations and Low at the low elevations. The hazard could elevate to Considerable above 9000 feet if significant snowfall occurs overnight. In all forecast areas, new wind slabs with depths to a foot at mid and upper elevation starting zones could be triggered. At low elevations isolated pockets of shallow surface slabs could triggered in steep terrain. In the Togwotee Pass area, deeper slabs could be triggered on old weaknesses to depths of three feet in terrain above 9000 feet.
