Wind Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 1–2
As the wind shifts and blows out of the east and northeast, we will see new wind slabs forming on westerly aspects. The wind has circled around most of the compass directions over the last few days, widening the distribution of wind slabs to all aspects. Wind speeds are expected to be light, but this low density snow will be easily moved by the wind.
Older wind slabs formed at the beginning of the storm will become more stubborn harder to trigger but it is too soon to write them off.
Most wind slab avalanches will be small, but isolated terrain features could produce a large avalanche. Triggering a wind slab avalanche will be more likeley in steep, convex, and unsupported terrain. Monitor the depth of wind transported snow. As wind deposits become deeper, wind slab avalanches can become larger. Use low angle lee slopes to monitor wind slabs before committing to steep slopes.
Wind slabs can be found below ridgetops, high points, and around features that catch blowing snow from cross slope winds.