Wind Slabs
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1–2
Wind slab avalanches that are large enough to bury, injure, or kill a rider are becoming less likely, but it's too soon to completely rule them out. On Friday, winds were moderate to strong out of the west, and it was easy to observe blowing snow and plumes of snow being whipped into the air. If you're in the alpine on Saturday, look for wind slabs on lee slopes, below ridges, and on terrain features like bowls that can catch wind deposited snow. Wind-loaded slopes often look smooth, but they can also have ripples on the surface.
Friday's snow totals were on the low end of the forecast, and our previous wind slab problem from the past several days has become increasingly stubborn. We're not expecting more than another inch of snow overnight, and winds are expected to back off on Saturday. Overall, we can expect this hazard to be decreasing, but there could be pockets of unstable snow in isolated terrain.