Wind Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 1
The strong SW winds continue to drift snow onto the leeward NW-N-NE-E-SE aspects. This continuous wind-loading has not given these slabs of wind drifted snow the chance to bond to the old snow below them. Human-triggered wind slab avalanches will remain possible today. In most areas, these wind slabs should remain small and may only knock a person off balance (D1). In the areas where more snow accumulated recently (like Donner Summit), they could involve enough snow to bury or injure a person (D2). As more snow starts to fall tonight, these wind slabs will become easier to trigger, more widespread, and larger in size. Large fragile cornices also exist along ridgelines across the forecast area.
Stay alert for areas where possibly unstable wind slabs may exist by looking for clues like cornices above a slope, drifted snow, scoured ridges with smooth snow on one side, and wind-created surface textures. Use this information to plan travel routes with safety margins that appropriately manage this potential hazard.
D2 wind slabs on Mt. Judah that likely occurred on Jan 11.