Loose Dry
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Possible
- Dimensione
- 1
As the skier-triggered avalanche from yesterday highlights, some lingering unstable storm slabs may still exist in near and below treeline terrain especially if they rest on top of a thin weak layer of surface hoar. A high degree of uncertainty exists as to where these storm slabs may linger and whether or not they remain unstable. Triggering one of these storm slabs may be easier in areas with numerous trigger points (like convex rollovers, shallowly buried rocks, cliffy areas, etc) or in more complex terrain. They could potentially involve enough snow to bury or injure a person especially in areas around terrain traps.
Recent avalanches, shooting cracks or collapses, or unstable snowpit tests can all help identify where unstable storm slabs may still exist. Actively look for signs of instability and avoid areas with potential problems. In some cases, this problem could lurk in an area where most data seems to indicate stability. If in doubt, assume a slope could remain unstable and avoid it. The high degree uncertainty associated with this problem makes more conservative decision making a good strategy. Low angle slopes are holding great snow and provide less potential for hitting barely covered obstacles.