Wind Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Possible
- Dimensione
- 1–2
What and where is it:Strong winds with up to 7 inches of new snow will create increasingly large and sensitive wind slabs on steep snow slopes. By tonight, slabs could be multiple feet thick. The most likely place to find a large wind slab is on north-facing and east-facing slopes that are sheltered from the wind, but understand that wind slabs could form on several aspects today.
How can you recognize it: Look for drifts of new snow that are deeper than the tops of your boots. Plumes of snow blowing at the ridgelines, cracks in the snow under your feet, and intense rates of snow accumulation are all signs of increasing avalanche danger. Use your hand, a pole, or a shovel to dig down to the icy old snow surface to assess the thickness and sensitivity of new wind slabs. How can you manage it:Make frequent snowpack observations and be cautious on steep slopes with deeper drifts. Consider your timing of traveling in steep terrain since danger will increase during the day. Traveling on the widespread hard, old snow surface can help to avoid the risk of triggering a wind slab. Remember that snow lower in the terrain may not be representative of the snow above you, even in the same gully or terrain feature.