Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

New snow and west to northwest winds continue to develop slabs to 12 inches or more in depth on lee slopes in avalanche-prone terrain. Size and sensitivity of slides to human triggers will increase through the day. The general avalanche hazard is MODERATE. The slabs are developing on excellent sliding surfaces of wind pack, sun crusts and faceted snow. The potential remains for riders or skiers to trigger isolated pockets of deeper hard slab in very steep, rocky terrain. Two separate avalanche fatalities occurred Sunday. A backcountry skier who accessed the Clause Peak area by skis and snowmobile from the Cliff Creek Trailhead in Hoback Canyon is believed to have triggered an eight inch deep soft slab on a steep slope at an elevation of about 9,200 feet and was carried into a tree and did not survive. The second fatality was a skier on Survey Peak in Grand Teton National Park who also was carried into a tree but by a larger slide believed to have originated in a shallower area of faceted snow over a rock band.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Scattered snow showers or flurries will continue into early Wednesday morning with temperatures dropping to the single digits and northwest winds around 15 miles per hour. Widespread snow will develop around daybreak Wednesday and continue into Thursday morning. Accumulations of 6 to 12 inches are expected in mountainous areas by Thursday morning with locally deeper amounts. Winds will back to westerly and increase to 25 mile per hour averages with stronger gusts and daytime high temperatures will be in the mid teens.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE Wednesday morning and increase during the day. Backcountry travelers can expect to release soft slabs and sloughs to three feet in depth on steeper, avalanche-prone slopes at mid and upper elevations in the Tetons and up to 18 inches in depth in the Togwotee Pass and Greys River areas. Be alert to changing conditions and alter plans accordingly. Remember that small, soft avalanches can be dangerous or lethal if individuals are swept into hard objects or fall into terrain traps where debris rapidly accumulates.