TETON AREA NOWCAST - ARCHIVE Issued at 12/26/2013 05:51 Valid until: 12/26/2013 23:59 Mountain Weather Forecast for Today Expect mostly clear skies after a weak disturbance moves through this morning. Temperature Forecast for 8,000´-9,000´: Rising to near 30. Ridge Top Wind Forecast for 10,000´: Northwesterly at 10 to 20 miles per hour. Snowfall Expected Next 24 Hours: 0 to a trace. GENERAL AVALANCHE HAZARD High Elevations (9,000´-10,500´) Morning 2-MODERATE Afternoon 2-MODERATE Mid Elevations (7,500´-9,000´) Morning 2-MODERATE Afternoon 2-MODERATE Low Elevations (6,000´-7,500´) Morning 1-LOW Afternoon 1-LOW GENERAL AVALANCHE ADVISORY At the mid and upper elevations, backcountry travelers could trigger recently developed wind slabs up to 30 inches deep in steep, wind loaded terrain. Faceted snow persists throughout the snowpack and failure could also occur on these deeper layers with slab depths up to four feet. If skies are mostly clear in the afternoon, these slides may become more susceptible to failure on sunlit aspects. Moderate hazard is not a green light. While the likelihood of triggering these slides is decreasing, the consequences remain high. Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully and identify features of concern. At the lower elevations, the snowpack is mostly stable and avalanches are unlikely. TODAY'S AVALANCHE PROBLEMS PROBLEM TYPE Wind Slab LIKELIHOOD: Possible SIZE: Small to Large TREND:Staying Same PROBLEM DESCRIPTION Around 30 inches of snow containing three inches of snow water equivalent fell between Friday afternoon and Tuesday morning. Strong westerly to northwesterly ridgetop winds accompanied this snowfall, creating wind slabs on leeward slopes, which lie upon good sliding surfaces and light density snow. Backcountry travelers could trigger these slabs in steep, wind loaded terrain to depths of 30 inches. PROBLEM TYPE Persistent Slab LIKELIHOOD: Possible SIZE: Large to Very Large TREND:Staying Same PROBLEM DESCRIPTION Faceted snow persists throughout the snowpack on a variety of aspects. Recent snowfall has increased the load on these weak layers. If triggered, these slabs could release to the ground with depths of two to four feet. Bridger-Teton Avalanche Forecast Center PO Box 424 Teton Village, WY 83025 307-733-2664 Report an avalanche: 307-739-2607