Storm Slabs
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Likely
- Size
- 1–2
New and wind-drifted snow should initially have a poor bond with the weak, light, and dry snow it falls on. You are more likely to trigger an avalanche in terrain where the wind is building thicker slabs, but will likely find a denser layer of new snow over softer snow on any aspect.
Monitor the bond of new snow layers using hand shears, test slopes, and stomping on wind-drifted features to check how well the new layers are bonding. Stay alert to signs of instability like whumping, shooting cracks, and recent natural or human-triggered avalanches. Plan on sticking to simple, sheltered terrain for the morning. Use good observations to gauge instability before moving into anything bigger as it gets less stormy.
(3/11/2023)
Dense snow falling on weaker snow could produce slab avalanches on Monday, even in more wind-protected areas.
Photo: Pete Durr