Wind Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Possible
- Dimensione
- 1–2
Expect the location of wind slab to change as the day progresses. Identifying the slopes of concern will require identifying where blowing snow associated with shifting winds has filled in near ridgetop and gully features. Use clues such as visible blowing snow, scoured vs smoother snow surfaces, and snow surface cracking to identify slopes of concern. Exercise caution around slopes that appear to hold newly formed wind slab. While mostly small avalanches are expected today, avalanches large enough to bury or injure a person are possible in isolated areas.
New snow amounts of 1 to 6 inches over the last 24 hours varied significantly by location rather than by elevation. This will have a direct effect on the presence or absence of unstable wind slabs today for any given location. The shift in wind direction from W to NE will redistribute new snow on the ground today, especially as wind speeds increase out of the NE as the day progresses. This morning, anticipate encountering fresh wind slabs focused mostly on N-NE-E-SE aspects from last night's W winds. Once increasing NE winds are scouring and redistributing snow on the ground, expect the focus of wind slab instability to gradually shift to SW-W-NW-N aspects.
(1/2/2026)
Either read the snow surface clues today or use wind protected terrain below treeline as a strategy to avoid the avalanche problem.
This photo shows rougher wind scoured areas vs smoother areas filled in with wind slab.
Steven's Peak, Carson Pass area, CA
Photo: Sierra Avalanche Center