Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

A slight chance continues for large impacts to trigger dangerous, hard slab avalanches involving weak snow layers that persist deep in the snowpack. Mountain temperatures are over ten degrees warmer than yesterday and the chance for wet slides and for glide avalanches will also develop this afternoon as direct sunlight and rising temperatures weaken the upper portion of the snowpack. Back country riders and skiers should be wary of mountain travel this afternoon when slopes will become less stable and slides could impact trails and traverses from above. Roof slides continue to pose a threat as they rapidly melt following weak overnight freezing.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Tuesday looks to be mostly dry with a slight chance for isolated flurries in the morning hours. As skies partially clear, south-southwest winds are to increase to averages between ten and fifteen miles per hour. High temperatures are to increase to highs in the low thirties at 10,000 feet and to near fifty at the base. The avalanche danger will increase from Low to Moderate in the Tetons where a mostly stable snowpack will be weakened by sunshine and warm temperatures in the afternoon, allowing for the chance of wet slides. This weakening will depend largely on where prolonged periods of sunshine occur. In the Togwotee Pass and Southwest Trails areas, a similar chance for wet slides in the afternoon also accompanies a slight chance that large triggers such as snow machines or falling cornices cause a large avalanche to occur deep in the snowpack involving old weak snow layers. The last such event occurred on Lava Mountain on March 18th when a large slide with a six foot crown was triggered by a falling cornice.