Loose Wet
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Possible
- Größe
- 1
Warmer overnight temperatures and some cloud cover means less refreezing occurred last night. Today the increased cloud cover and stronger winds should also make the melting side of the melt-freeze cycle less active. Still enough warming could occur today for loose wet snow instabilities like small roller balls, pinwheels, and wet point releases to form on some slopes especially in areas that receive direct sunshine and less wind. Sun-exposed E-SE-S-SW-W aspects steeper than 35 degrees where the recent snow has not been through enough melt freeze cycles to create good drainage channels in the snow hold the best potential for loose wet avalanches today, but some wet snow could also form on more northerly aspects due to the increased cloud cover. In some areas where less new snow existed or where firm wind packed or scoured surfaces existed after the recent storm, the surface snow has already experienced enough melt-freeze cycles to form good drainage channels and some decent corn snow conditions may exist. In still other areas like some of the exposed upper elevation slopes where the winds and cloud cover keep the snow surface cooler, the snow surface may remain mostly frozen today.
Sinking into wet snow above boot-top height, small surface wet snow instabilities like pinwheels or roller balls, and other recent loose wet snow avalanches can all indicate that enough wet snow exists for problematic loose wet avalanches to occur. These clues usually indicate that the snow conditions have become less fun to recreate on as well. At this point finding a more frozen aspect or switching activities represents a great way to stay safe and keep having fun.