Wind Slabs
- Alpin
- Limite forestière
- Sous la limite forestière
- Probabilité
- Possible
- Taille
- 1–2
Up to 12" of very low density (4-7%) snow has fallen in the Tetons over the past 2 days with a few inches more falling by sundown today. Light to moderate winds from the west and south transported this very low density snow into drifts despite the low wind speeds. Snow sluffing from cliffs and steep drainages may have also formed stiffer slabs. You are likely to find wind slabs averaging up to 2' thick today in those locations. These should be easy to spot, and avoid, near ridgetops or other areas that have been exposed to wind. It is unlikely but conceivable that a fresh wind slab could reach down to a buried weak layer.
(1/4/2023)
The crown of this wind slab averaged about one foot thick and was intentionally triggered near a ridgetop in the Tetons on Wednesday. It is indicative of what you could find today in the upper elevations.