Central Sierra Nevada

Problemas de aludes

• 

  Wind Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alta montaña
  • Límite del bosque
  • Bajo el límite del bosque

  Probabilidad

  Possible

  Tamaño

  1–2

  Winds out of the NE that accompanied yesterday's snowfall will remain out of the NE and increase in speed today and tonight. Areas of blowing and drifting snow near ridgetops will continue to deposit into wind slabs in near treeline and above treeline areas across SE-S-SW-W-NW-N aspects.

  Look for and identify where wind drifted snow is accumulating and expect to find it in less common areas due to the NE wind direction. Use clues such as blowing snow, freshly formed pillows of wind drifted snow, and snow surface cracking to identify where unstable snow may exist. Move cautiously around avalanche terrain where signs of potentially unstable snow are present.

• 

  Storm Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alta montaña
  • Límite del bosque
  • Bajo el límite del bosque

  Probabilidad

  Possible

  Tamaño

  1–2

  Areas of unstable snow are expected today in wind protected areas near treeline and below treeline. There are a couple of concerns at work here. First, the new snow that was deposited yesterday has surface hoar and/or graupel below it in some areas. Second, the low density recent storm snow will become a more cohesive slab as time passes. This is creating the classic slab over weak layer scenario. Avalanches may be fairly easy to trigger in some areas and could have wide propagation.

  Any wind protected areas where snow surface cracking is easily triggered are suspect for storm slab avalanches. Consider moving to low angle slopes and avoiding exposure to avalanche terrain in areas where snow surface cracking or recent avalanches are observed.