Wind Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Likely
- Dimensione
- 2
Winds are the big story today. They are expected to blow fairly consistently from the west, around 15-20 mph, with gusts near 40 mph. There'll be plenty of fresh snow to blow around, especially this afternoon when snowfall really kicks in. Hard and soft wind slabs will develop on the lee side of exposed ridges and around terrain features like cliff bands, sub-ridges, and gullies.
- Watch for and avoid stiffer wind drifted snow on the lee side of major ridges, below cornices, and in and around terrain features like cliff bands, sub-ridges, and gully walls.
- Wind slabs appear smooth, chalky, and rounded, and they can sound hollow, like a drum, when you move around on them.
- Cracking is a red flag indicating unstable snow.
- Hard wind slabs sometimes let you get out on them before releasing suddenly. Freshly formed, softer wind slabs are often very easily triggered, sometimes remotely (or from a distance).
- People should stay off of, out from under, and well away from large overhanging cornices, which are deceptive and often break much further back than expected. Natural cornice falls are possible, and these could trigger avalanches on slopes beneath.