Wind Slabs
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Possible
- Größe
- 1–1.5
Monday will be a return to snowy and windy conditions and you could see some freshly built Wind Slabs by day’s end. As the snow starts to pile up and the winds continue to blow, look for these unstable pockets of snow to develop on the leeward side of ridgelines, convex features, or in rocky terrain such as the base of cliffs and confined chutes. You could encounter some unusual loading patterns with slabs forming on aspects you’re not used to or more cross-loading than usual. Since they will be forming during the storm, you can look for actively blowing snow or fresh drifts to help you identify wind-loaded features that should be avoided.
(4/16/2022)
Example: Cracking in wind-drifted areas is a red-flag sign of instability.
Photo: Dallas Glass