Wet Slabs
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Likely
- Größe
- 1.5–2
Wet avalanches are likely today as the combination of recent warm temperatures, no overnight freeze, and continued rain pushes meltwater into the snowpack. Expect wet avalanches near and below the rainline, which should hover around about 8,000'. Middle elevation NW-N-NE facing slopes that remained mostly dry until last night's rain may be particularly dangerous.
Anticipate numerous small Wet Loose avalanches that gouge deeper as more of the upper snowpack is saturated with rain. Much larger Wet Slab avalanches can occur as percolating meltwater pools near weak layers deeper in the snowpack.
Wet avalanches are hard to predict. Some slopes may absorb today's rain with little avalanche activity, while others may produce very large and destructive avalanches. When faced with this type of uncertainty, it's prudent to build a wide safety margin into your travel plans. Avoid sloppy, wet snowpacks, and don't linger beneath large avalanche paths.