Continental

Lawinenprobleme

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  Loose Wet

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Hochgebirge
  • Waldgrenze
  • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze

  Wahrscheinlichkeit

  Possible

  Größe

  1–3

  Wet loose avalanches are once again today's primary avalanche concern.   The low temperature on Thompson Pass was 36° last night.  Nicks had a low of 34, while low elevations north of Thompson Pass did receive a solid refreeze.  Warmer overnight temperatures will allow for wet loose conditions to occur earlier in the day than what has occurred the last few days and may be more significant.  Steep slopes with wet snow at the surface will be capable of producing wet loose avalanches.  Avoid travelling on or spending time below steep terrain where more than 4 inches of the surface snow is wet.

   This type of avalanche starts small and slow but can quickly grow and become dangerous, potentially burying or sweeping a person away, especially in steep, rocky areas or near cliffs.

  Today’s avalanche risk starts low in the morning and increases with the sun's warmth, first on east-facing slopes and later moving to south and west-northwest aspects as the day progresses. A slope that is frozen and stable in the morning might not be safe in the afternoon. 

  To stay safe, be mindful of the sun's path and avoid steep sunny slopes during their warmest times. Always consider the terrain below you, avoiding areas that could amplify the consequences of an avalanche, like cliffs and gullies.

  

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  Wet Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Hochgebirge
  • Waldgrenze
  • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze

  Wahrscheinlichkeit

  Possible

  Größe

  2–3

  The degree of natural avalanche activity is increasing with each sunny day.  Above freezing temperatures overnight at elevation will likely continue the increase in activity that has been recently observed.  Several large natural wet slab releases have been noted on steep south faces over the last few days.   Daytime heat is slowly penetrating deeper into the snowpack with each diurnal cycle.  As this process continues wet slabs are expected to continue to release on steep south aspects and may begin to happen on other aspects.

  There is still a lot of snow mass in the mountains.  Daytime high and low temperatures have increased significantly over the last week.  This change puts stress on the snowpack.  The first signs of stress are in the form of wet loose activity that occurs at the surface.  As heat can penetrate deeper into the snowpack it becomes more likely for stress to be relieved in the form of wet slabs as old interfaces deeper in the snowpack that were dormant become lubricated by meltwater and reactivate.  Identifying which slopes are prone to this kind of release is difficult.  What we can do is recognize that this type of activity will be most likely to occur during the heat of the day when more than 6 inches of the surface is wet and the snowpack begins to be unsupportable on foot.  Avoid steep terrain when these conditions are present.