Wind Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Likely
- Dimensione
- 1–2
Increasing SW winds along with continued snowfall will create larger wind slabs in the backcountry today. These wind slabs will exist in near and above treeline areas on NW-N-NE-E-SE aspects and could be multiple feet deep. The largest wind slabs will form in areas that received more recent storm snow and have larger amounts of snow available for wind transport. Large fragile cornices may exist above many of the slopes where these wind slabs have formed.
Look for blowing snow, newly formed cornices, wind drifts, and wind scoured snow surfaces as clues to where these wind slabs may have formed. Use wide safety margins to avoid areas near and below steep wind loaded slopes.