Wind Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 1–2
Strong west/southwest wind 25-35 mph with gusts 50-60 mph yesterday formed fresh wind slabs less than 12 inches deep with continued wind overnight into today. Wind slabs will be larger and easier to trigger the higher you travel in elevation and into more open/exposed terrain primarily above 8500’. Look for signs of recent wind loading including fresh cornices, shooting cracks, stiffened surfaces, and large pillows/drifts. Strong winds like this can load atypical terrain upslope or cross-slope.
Although less likely, larger avalanches up to 2+ feet deep could be triggered in heavily wind affected terrain across all aspects above 8,000’. Triggering fresh wind slabs could step down to deeper layers. Weak interfaces below stubborn wind slabs have resulted in D2 human triggered avalanches the last several days. Assess the snowpack on wind loaded terrain directly off ridgelines or around rocky, wind affected slopes where you are more likely to encounter these avalanches. Use caution as signs of instability on the snow surface of these slopes may not be obvious.
(3/19/2025)
This deeper wind slab avalanche observed 3/19 highlights where you can encounter wind loaded terrain off ridgelines.
Photo: Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center