Wind Slabs
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Likely
- Größe
- 2
Strong winds and 12 to 20 inches of new snow in the last 24 hours have formed large wind slabs on wind-loaded aspects. The largest and most fragile wind slabs will exist on wind-loaded N-NE-E aspects and cross-loaded SE and NW aspects above 7500 ft. where the most snow has accumulated. Due to the strength of the wind and the changing wind direction between SW-S-SE, some wind slabs could exist in below treeline terrain as well as near and above treeline terrain on almost any aspect. More snow and wind across the forecast area today and lowering snow levels mean that wind slabs will continue to grow and become more widespread today. While the best window for natural wind slab avalanches likely occurred during the night, human triggered wind slab avalanches will remain likely on any wind-loaded slopes today.
Looks for signs of recent wind loading such as cornices, blowing snow, wind drifts, wind pillows, ripples on the snow surface, and other wind created textures to help identify where wind slabs may exist and use this information to avoid these problematic wind slabs.