Wind Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Possible
- Dimensione
- 1–2
Despite the mild weather this week, wind slab avalanches that are large enough to bury, injure, or kill a rider are still possible at upper elevations. On Wednesday, there was a large slab avalanche reported above treeline on an east-facing aspect. Additionally, with cold overnight temperatures preserving recent snow in the alpine, there's still enough snow available for transport. Even light winds can move low-density snow, and snow transport has been observed up high in the Three Sisters over the past two days.
The winds have been shifting around, so if you're in the alpine on Thursday, look for wind slabs on all aspects. Wind slabs can be found on any snow surfaces that aren't scoured. Look for rippled snow texture or smooth snow surfaces with deeper snow deposits. If you think a slope might be wind-loaded, move to lower-angle terrain or slopes that have less wind-drifted snow.