Wind Slabs
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Likely
- Größe
- 2–3
Strong southwesterly to westerly ridgetop winds during yesterday’s frontal passage easily transported new and existing snow, and wind slabs that formed earlier in the week gained depth and volume. These slabs reside above crusts, wind pack and dense, settled snow. Failure could occur on these old snow surfaces or on density changes within the recent abundant snowfall. Above 8,000 feet, backcountry travelers are likely to trigger these slabs to depths of one to four feet in steep, wind loaded terrain. Below 8,000 feet, these slabs could be triggered with depths up to 18 inches. As the day warms, these slabs may become more susceptible to failure on sunlit aspects.