Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Cold temperatures overnight resulted in a hard freeze causing the wet snow avalanche hazard to start low increasing to moderate by the afternoon. This morning above 9,000 feet, backcountry travelers could find small pockets of wind slab 12 inches deep. During the warmest periods of the day, wet snow avalanches will be possible on steep terrain. As surface crusts breakdown, these slides could gouge down a few feet into the snowpack. In areas where the snowpack is shallow, wet slides could step down to the ground. As the snowpack becomes wet and unconsolidated, avoid steep avalanche-prone terrain and terrain traps. Wet avalanche debris can be very dense making it challenging to get out of and often have severe consequences.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )This evening and into tonight, there may be some isolated snow shower above 7,000 feet with very light accumulation. Then tomorrow, as a ridge builds over the region conditions are forecasted to become drier and warmer with partly cloudy skies. Mountain temperatures will range from the 20s to 40s and valleys from the 30s to 50s. Westerly to southwesterly ridgetop winds will be light with possible gusts in the teens and 20s. Freezing temperatures overnight along with clearing skies should decrease the wet snow avalanche hazard. For Saturday, the avalanche hazard is expected to start low and then increase as the day warms. In the morning, backcountry travelers could trigger small pockets of wind slab 12 inches deep above 9,000 feet. These slabs will most likely be found on northerly aspects where the snow was not affected by today’s warming temperatures. Below 8,500 feet, once the surface crusts breakdown, wet snow avalanches will be possible on steep terrain. At the lowest elevations in the Togwotee Pass forecast area and the Southwest Trails forecast area, these wet slides could step down to the ground. As the snowpack becomes wet and unconsolidated, avoid steep avalanche-prone terrain and terrain traps.