Persistent Slabs in the Northwest

The nuance for us is anticipating when there will be enough surface melt to percolate all the way down to the facet-crust interface and lubricate it into a sliding layer. This will probably be one of those early Aprils of some historic slides.

March 10th forecast includes Deep Persistent Slabs as a problem. All aspects and elevations, Unlikely but Large to Very Large in size if triggered . . .

Below is from the forecast discussion

"Several older persistent weak layers exist within the snowpack. On E-S-W aspects a thin facet-crust combo (2/23) can be found. Snowpack test results show this layer healing but it has been reactive in some snowpack tests. An older deeper and more widespread persistent weak layer has been observed for several weeks. Weak sugary facets (2/13) sit just above a firm crust formed and buried in early February (2/. This crust is generally found about 3-4 feet below the snow surface."

www.nwac.us/avalanche-forecast/avalanche...de-west-north-baker/

visual indicators and spring almost acting like winter till the sun comes out: dont miss the pwl for the windslab...that will getcha if you head is only way down deep in the snow pack...some pretty good examples lately ..that part isnt rocket science..

Yeah, if my memory is correct (yes, I could just scan the archive to see for sure) NWAC has been mentioning that surface slabs or even loose snow slides could step down to the PWL/PWS even back before the wave of weekend deaths started up.

We still have multiple PWLs in the Baker area, I'm guessing other areas do too. Please make appropriate decisions out there.