Wind Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Likely
- Dimensione
- 1–2
On Friday I found both natural and human triggered wind slabs on north to easterly slopes. Some of these wind slabs were sliding on weak layers (facets) that are sitting on a rain crust.
With more snow expected and existing reactive wind slabs, human triggered avalanches in wind drifted snow will be likely for Saturday. These wind slabs might propagate farther and wider than expected due to weak layers within the snowpack.
Look for clues of wind slabs such as drifts of snow, textured surface, pillow-like features. Wind slabs often form below ridgelines, areas that collect snow and open slopes where wind can freely blow snow (i.e. burn zones). Other red flags to be on the lookout for are cracking, whumpfing and recent avalanches. For Saturday it is best to avoid wind loaded avalanche slopes 30 degrees or steeper.