Wind Slabs
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Possible
- Größe
- 2
Human-triggered avalanches of wind-drifted snow and cornice falls are possible in drifted upper-elevation terrain. Very strong winds from the west-southwest will load snow onto leeward terrain and build out cornices. Watch for and avoid fresh wind drifts on the lee side of major ridges, corniced slopes, and in and around terrain features like cliff bands, sub-ridges, gully walls, and mid-slope rollovers. Wind slabs and cornices will become more sensitive as the storm progresses.
- Audible collapses or whumpfs and shooting cracks are obvious signs of instability, but these red flags may not be present when avalanches occur.
- Stay well away from and out from under overhanging cornices, which may break further back than expected.
- In some outlying upper elevation terrain on slopes generally facing the southern half of the compass (east through south through west), human-triggered avalanches could fail on a sugary, persistent weak layer on top of a melt-freeze crust buried 2 to 3 feet deep. The problem is more pronounced in sunny terrain and avalanches could be of high consequence in certain terrain.