Wind Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 1–2
With extreme westerly winds forecast Sunday afternoon, fresh wind slabs will likely form further downslope than usual and in unusual places due to chaotic loading patterns. Shallow wind slabs may even form on open slopes below treeline before sunset. Steer around open slopes steeper than 35 degrees where you find freshly drifted and wind-stiffened snow. Use small test slopes to gauge how the new snow is bonding to the old snow surface. As snowfall becomes heavier Sunday evening, the chances for human or natural triggered slab avalanches will increase further.
Example from Mt Hood earlier this month. Winter returns Sunday afternoon and night. Watch for shooting cracks in wind-stiffened snow. You may trigger a wind slab on nearby slopes.