Wind Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Likely
- Dimensione
- 1–2
It shouldn't take a lot of sleuthing or subtle clues to see that it was very windy on Tuesday. In the time I was out touring at Todd Ridge (maybe 2 hours) 4 or 5 new trees fell across the road! The heavy snowfall and Strong winds that we saw today will continue overnight before gradually letting up Wednesday mid-day. Wind Slabs will surely exist on North and East slopes up high. Sometimes these lee start zones load and release several times during a storm. Other times they harbor a very large, stubborn wind slab. Additionally, Strong winds can redistribute the snow in unusual ways , sometimes removing it completely, and other times loading it further down slope.
If you choose to travel on lee slopes Wednesday, careful evaluation will be important, and avoidance of steep unsupported terrain is always a great option. Watch for where cornices have grown recently, and signs of wind consolidated snow like cracking or marked changes in ski penetration.