Wind Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 2
Wind slabs remain prevalent on wind-loaded NW-N-NE-E-SE aspects in near and above treeline terrain. Over time these wind slabs should bond to the snow below them and become more difficult to trigger, but human-triggered wind slab avalanches still remain possible today. Settlement and consolidation may happen more slowly than normal due to the continued cold temperatures. Wind slab failures could still produce large avalanches. Many slopes where wind slabs exist also have large fragile cornices resting above them. These could break far from the apparent edge of a ridge.
Maintain awareness of the conditions and terrain to identify where wind slabs may exist. Cornices above a slope, wind drifts/pillows, ripples on the snow surface, and other wind created textures can offer clues to help locate wind-loaded slopes. Less wind-exposed and/or lower angle terrain should hold softer less variable snow as well as safer avalanche conditions.