Persistent Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Possible
- Dimensione
- 2
We've found buried layers of sugary snow at all elevations and on slopes facing every direction. The persistent weak layer (PWL) problem has the potential to get worse as widespread slopes with poor snow structure are overloaded, and the problem is likely to be an issue for a while.
Areas plagued by a very sensitive PWL consisting of buried feathers of surface hoar are also widespread, but we've found them mostly in sheltered low and mid-elevation terrain. Persistent weak layers consisting of surface hoar are notoriously tricky, often surprising and sometimes catching experienced avy pros off guard. Avalanches failing on buried surface hoar may occur on lower angled slopes than you might expect.
- Red Flags indicating a persistent weak layer instability will include audible collapses or wumpfs and shooting cracks. Sometimes no red flags are apparent and you have to dig down into the snow to find the sugary weak layer.
- Slab avalanches failing on a buried persistent weak layer could be remotely triggered from a distance, hopefully not from below.