Wind Slabs
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 2
Strong NE and E winds along the ridge tops have scoured some of the snow away from wind slabs deposited during the recent storm and re-deposited it onto the NW-W-SW-S-SE aspects. The new wind slabs formed on these aspects will remain smaller and more limited in distribution, but more sensitive than the older wind slabs. Even though the winds may have scoured some snow away from the N-NE-E aspects, some wind slabs will still remain on these aspects as well. These older wind slabs have become more difficult to trigger, but stepping on or riding over trigger points or larger triggers like large cornices or two people on a slope would make triggering these wind slabs easier. More hard wind slabs will exist on these aspects as well. Like yesterday, wind slabs could exist on any exposed near and above treeline aspects today. Most avalanches that result from the failure of these wind slabs should fail at or above the old snow surface; however, some of them could step down into older snow layers in areas where the wind slabs exist on top of old hard slabs on the NW-N-NE aspects. Avalanches involving wind slabs could entrain enough snow to bury a person.
Cornices above a slope, wind ripples, drifts, blowing snow, hollow sounding snow, and other signs of wind loading can all serve as clues to help recognize slopes where wind slabs may exist. If a near or above treeline area looks nicely filled in and smooth and rounded, wind slabs likely exist in that area. Complex or extreme terrain like couliors and unsupported slopes will hold unstable wind slabs longer than other terrain and also have more potential consequences.
