Wind Slabs
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Possible
- Größe
- 1
Ridgetop winds out of the SSW picked up to the 30 to 50 mph range for about 9 hours last night along the Sierra Crest in the northern half of the forecast area. Plenty of snow on the ground was available for wind transport last night above 8,000' in near treeline and above treeline areas. New wind slabs are expected to have formed last night above 8,000' on NW-N-NE-E-SE aspects along the Sierra Crest in the northern half of the forecast area. Look for signs of newly formed wind slabs by identifying clues of wind drifted snow such as cornices, wind pillows, snow surface texture, and scouring vs loading patterns causing differing snow depths on either side of ridgelines. Move cautiously around any areas where newly formed wind slabs exist.
Near and above treeline areas that did not receive significant winds last night will soon. As ridgetop winds increase to 40 to 80 mph out of the S tonight and tomorrow, widespread areas of wind drifted snow will increase the size and distribution of wind slabs across the forecast area.