Item: WIND SLAB OR STORM SLAB; WHEN DO WE USE EACH TERM?
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Title: WIND SLAB OR STORM SLAB; WHEN DO WE USE EACH TERM?
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings 2023, Bend, Oregon
Authors:
- Nathalie de Leeuw [ Castle Mountain Resort, AB, Canada ] [ Montana State University, Bozeman MT, USA ]
- Karl Birkeland [ National Avalanche Center, Bozeman, MT, USA ] [ Birkeland Snow and Avalanche Scientific, Bozeman, MT USA ]
Date: 2023-10-08
Abstract: Though explicitly defined by the Conceptual Model of Avalanche Hazard (CMAH), the terms wind slab and storm slab are sometimes used interchangeably. Storm slabs and wind slabs exist on a continuum, and avalanche workers may disagree on which term is most accurate for a given situation. This discrepancy can cause miscommunications in the Canadian avalanche industry, where information sharing relies heavily on the CMAH. Inconsistency exists in public bulletins, and many avalanche professionals have debated the difference between these two avalanche problems with coworkers. However, the extent of inconsistency in professional communications has not been rigorously investigated. Using a sample of avalanche problems submitted to the Canadian Avalanche Association's Information Exchange (InfoEx), we found that nearly 20% of operations used the term storm slab to describe an aspect-dependent avalanche problem located on aspects lee to the prevailing wind direction, which could otherwise have been called a wind slab. This discrepancy may stem from whether preferential deposition of snow by wind is considered a storm slab or a wind slab. Additionally, some storm slab problems in the study period included a wind slab, as indicated in the associated comments. This project explores inconsistency in terminology use in the Canadian avalanche industry in order to promote further discussion and identify possible solutions to maintain consistency.
Object ID: ISSW2023_P1.07.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Nathalie de Leeuw
Keywords: wind slab, storm slab, terminology, avalanche problems
Page Number(s): 179 - 183
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