Storm Slabs
- Alpin
- Limite forestière
- Sous la limite forestière
- Probabilité
- Possible
- Taille
- 1–2
Over a foot of new low density snow has befallen the forecast zone. Personal observations will be important today in assessing the snowpack, and conditions warrant cautious travel.
Storm temperatures have been generally cooperative--starting warm and trending colder. In isolated locations small temperature differences may have created slightly heavier snow over lighter snow. In steep locations this may create instability issues. The most sensitive areas will be steep locations where wind drifted snow has built soft slabs on top of weaker layers. Look for these in cross loaded gullies and on the sides of ridgelines.
Winds were SW and mostly calm during the storm, but today winds will shift to the NE and increase to speeds capable of adding denser snow to the lighter surface snow cover. The lightweight new snow will be particularly susceptible to wind transport. Even with the mild winds of yesterday transported snow was observed above treeeline and with the new wind direction of last night and today you may find these drifts on multiple aspects and unexpected locations. Back away from any zone where cracking is observed or where the snow looks mounded and any small sliding snow occurs. Small steep test slopes are good locations to ski kick, stomp or cut across with momentum. If you see signs of instability return to lower angle and more gentle terrain.
In north facing terrain above treeline previously wind affected slopes may not have bonded well with the new snow. Be cautious in this terrain, especially if the new snow has been affected by wind.