Wind Slabs
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Unlikely
- Größe
- 2
Human-triggered avalanches of wind-drifted snow remain possible in steep, drifted terrain. Very strong winds earlier in the week loaded snow onto leeward terrain, creating thick wind slabs and building out already large overhanging cornices.
- Watch for and avoid stiffer wind drifts on the lee side of major ridges, on corniced slopes, and in and around terrain features like cliff bands, sub-ridges, gully walls, and mid-slope rollovers.
- Stiff wind slabs could be hidden from view by several inches of fresh snow. These could be stubborn, allowing a person to get far out on them before releasing. Shooting cracks are a sign of unstable snow.
- Stay well away from and out from under devious overhanging cornices, which may break further back and be much larger than expected. Cornice falls could trigger wind slab avalanches on slopes below.