Persistent Slabs
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1–2
Heavy snowfall on Wednesday will increase avalanche danger during the day. Both the likelihood of triggering an avalanche and the size of avalanches will increase with every new inch of snowfall. You can trigger an avalanche in the new snow if you find 10 inches of new snow forming a cohesive slab over the old, weak snow surface. The new snow could also make loose snow avalanches more easy to trigger and larger in size. The most dangerous slopes face the north half of the compass, where very weak snow lurks beneath the new snow.
Watch out for rapidly changing conditions by assessing the depth and stiffness of new snow. If you encounter cracking or collapsing in the new snow, then it is stiffening into a slab, and you should avoid traveling on slopes steeper than about 30 degrees.