Wind Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 1–2
On Monday, we'll see increasing high clouds and SE winds strengthening during the day. In areas where loose surface snow is available for transport, expect this change in wind direction to result in reverse loading and shallow new wind slabs building on different aspects. In some areas, these new wind slabs may be easy to trigger. Visual clues like shooting cracks, tests on small slopes, and blowing snow will help you steer around the steep slopes you're most likely to trigger a fresh wind slab. The wind shift on Monday should also start to trim back recently formed cornices and cross-load some slopes.
Deeper, firmer, and older wind slabs formed over the last few days with westerly winds. It's unlikely that a person's weight would kick off a larger slide, but a smaller avalanche, snow machine or cornice fall might be the right sized trigger to release a deeper avalanche. Keep this in mind when crossing on or below slopes capable of producing large avalanches near and above treeline.
(3/23/2023) Shooting cracks are red flags that you can trigger an avalanche on similar steep slopes. Photo: Joe Dellaporta