The general avalanche hazard remains Considerable above an elevation of 7,500 feet and is Moderate below that elevation. The chance continues for riders or skiers to trigger sensitive slab avalanches in steep terrain at all elevations. These slabs could release in wind loaded areas, involving snow from the recent storm cycle or they could fail on widespread deeper weaknesses, involving faceted snow that formed during prolonged dry periods earlier in the season. Careful snowpack evaluation is necessary to understand the weak snowpack and conservative decision making is essential to avoid having accidents that are likely to have severe consequences.
Slabs formed by southwest winds during the most recent storm cycle continue to be a hazard on steep wind-loaded slopes. These soft slabs could be triggered by skiers and riders and have depths of one to three feet.
The snowpack is weak. Persistent slab avalanches could be triggered by a single person on steep avalanche prone slopes at all elevations. These large to very large slabs remain sensitive at the the higher elevations where they could have depths of 3 to 5 feet deep and are likely to be hard. The potential also remains below 7,500 feet where they are expected to be soft slabs with depths of one to three feet.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Flow will become more westerly overnight and although there is more moisture in this pattern, accumulations by morning will be minimal. Light snow is to continue throughout the day Wednesday and Wednesday night. Temperatures in the mountains are to again start below freezing and rise to the single digits. West winds are to have averages between ten and twenty miles per hour. The general avalanche hazard will be Moderate at all elevations of the Tetons and Considerablein the Togwotee Pass and Southwest trails areas above 7500 feet . Human triggered avalanches could occur in all three forecast regions that involve wind slabs formed during the last storm cycle or deeper instabilities within the snowpack . These slabs are more sensitive in the Southwest Trails and Togwotee pass areas where they are underlain by a weaker snowpack. Respect the snowpack and realize that although conditions are less reactive, unstable slabs await triggers such as skiers or riders in steep terrain and that a cycle with significant natural avalanche activity ended just a few days ago.
