Wind Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Possible
- Dimensione
- 1–1.5
Saturday we're forecasted to get 3-6 inches of snow during the day. This will sit on top of a similar amount that fell the previous night, and is overlying a crust. Wind may drift the snow, old and new, into 1-2 foot slabs at near and above treeline elevations. You're most likely to find slabs around rocky outcroppings, in gullies and on leeward sides of features. You could trigger avalanches in these deposits on steep slopes. Some of the slabs may be unreactive, however, if you encounter any obvious signs of instability such as cracking, there's a good chance the slab could slide if it's steep enough. As you travel, pay attention to quick transitions from shallow snow layers to thicker drifts. Any thicker areas could use an evaluation on your part, to determine whether the snow stubbornly sticks in place, or if it cracks or slides easily within the new snow layers or on the underlying crust. If you don't feel comfortable with assessing this, avoid slopes greater than 35 degrees where you notice these thicker drifts are present.
(3/18/2022)
Pay attention to shooting cracks occurring around you on thicker snow deposits. If you encounter these, snow could slide on a steep slope.
Photo: Lee Lazzara