Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1–1.5
An increase in northwest winds on Sunday means fresh wind loading onto easterly slopes. As winds pick up through the day, watch for newly forming slabs of drifted snow. You can trigger avalanches that are large enough to take you off your feet and pile up deep debris in a terrain trap. Shooting cracks in the snow or a harder, more cohesive feel to the snow underfoot could be signs of unstable drifted snow.
Also, on Sunday, the sun will quickly heat the new snow, resulting in wet avalanches. This will happen first on easterly-facing slopes in the late morning and then on southerly-facing slopes in the late afternoon. Steep and rocky slopes in areas without cloud cover are where you are most likely to trigger wet avalanches.