Wind Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 1
Shallow wind slabs will develop and become a little deeper throughout the day, possibly up to around a foot deep at upper elevations. Avalanche size isn't expected to be large enough to bury you, but if you're in high-consequence terrain such as above rocks, trees, cliffs, or gullies, getting caught in an avalanche, even if shallow, could still take you for a dangerous ride. This is especially concerning considering how shallow the snowpack currently is, with many early-season hazards exposed.
On south-facing aspects a smooth, firm surface will be under any new snow, and fresh slabs may slide easily on the underlying layer. On other aspects, especially northerly and at higher elevations. up to 4 inches of soft snow could exist underneath the newly fallen snow. Snow could slide on the new/old snow interface. For Tuesday, if you travel above snowline, identify thicker drifts of snow and steer clear of them on slopes steeper than 30°, especially if you notice any obvious signs like long, shooting cracks in the snow. If we get more snow than forecasted, expect larger avalanches that could be more reactive than forecasted.
Example photo: Search for wind drifted pockets like this on Tuesday.