Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Warm temperatures overnight and very warm temperatures and rain showers during the day could create areas of unstable snow in steep terrain. The general avalanche hazard is MODERATE. Wet loose and wet slab avalanches up to three feet in depth are possible in steep snow covered terrain. Caution is advised on steep avalanche prone slopes that are underlain by a persistent weak layer of depth hoar.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )The mountains will continue to get some wet snow overnight and on Saturday. The snow level is expected to drop to an elevation of 6,500 feet overnight and rise to 8,500 feet on Saturday. Three inches of new snow is expected at the highest elevations and a tenth of an inch of rain is expected in the valleys. Temperatures are forecast to remain above freezing overnight at the lower elevations and drop in the low 30s at the upper elevations. On Saturday they will rise into the upper 40s at the highest elevations and into the upper 50s in the valleys. Winds will be southwesterly backing towards the south at 20 to 30 with gusts in the 40s along the highest ridge crests.At the upper elevations strong southwest winds will create isolated pockets of soft wind slab up to a foot deep. These small surface slabs may have some potential to be human triggered in extreme terrain. At the mid and lower elevations temperatures in the 40s and 50s will increase the potential for wet loose and wet slab avalanche activity on steep slopes where the snowpack is underlain by a persistent layer of depth hoar or is isothermal. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW at the upper elevations and increase to MODERATE at the mid and lower elevations.