Wind Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Possible
- Dimensione
- 1–2
Avalanches failing within the new snow will become larger and more likely through the day and into tonight. Fresh wind slabs will likely be 6 to 12" deep by this afternoon, and they will be touchy. We will likely see some natural avalanche activity by the end of the day. These will be forming below ridgelines, convex rollovers, and in gullies that are getting loaded as the storm picks up.
These wind slabs are forming on top of the same layer of buried surface hoar that has been causing problems in Turnagain Pass and Seward/Lost Lake. So far, that layer hasn't been buried deep enough to be a major concern in the Summit Lake zone. However, as we continue to add a few inches of snow at a time, this layer may wake up and start causing larger avalanches. This next round of wind and snow will push us closer to that tipping point.
(3/6/2025)
Fresh wind slabs forming today will continue to add just a little more weight to the weak layer of surface hoar that was buried on Valentine's day.
Photo: Daniel Krueger