Wind Slabs
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1–2
New snow and E-NE winds will start to fill in places on the leeward sides of ridges, gullies, and on open slopes with new slabs of wind-blown snow. These will start small and limited in distribution this morning, but they could grow larger as more snow accumulates later this afternoon and evening. The wind slabs that form will also vary from place to place due to the variability in snowfall. Expect deeper and more widespread wind slabs where more snow is forecasted, like the mountains on the east side of the forecast area and areas south of Highway 50.
You may not see much new snow or signs of instability this morning. Still, keep monitoring the changing conditions. Unstable wind slabs can form quickly on previously stable slopes. Watch for clues like blowing snow, cornices above a slope, and wind-created surface textures to help identify where wind slabs may be forming. Recent avalanches and cracking in the snow are clear signs that those new wind slabs are unstable. Traveling in places protected from the winds, like tree-covered slopes or places where other terrain blocks the wind, can help reduce exposure to firm snow surface conditions lingering in exposed areas and the newly forming wind slabs.