Wet Slabs
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Possible
- Größe
- 1–1.5
What and where is it: Seven inches of new snow fell Saturday on a refrozen bed surface and will be subjected to 1-3 inches of rain and above-freezing temperatures. Rain and meltwater will weaken the recent snow, creating opportunities for wet snow avalanches on all snow covered slopes. While easterly aspects hold deeper drifts from wind loading, snow coverage of this snow is fairly uniform across aspects. The greatest potential for larger avalanches exists on east-facing slopes above 3000 feet, where thicker slabs formed.
How can you recognize it: A wet, soft snow surface is a clear sign that the snow may be becoming unstable. With a fairly shallow layer of new snow, rain and meltwater will quickly weaken it as water moves through the snow and reaches the older bed surface. Digging into the snow to see how wet it is and whether water is pooling on crusts can help you assess the potential for wet avalanches.
How can you manage it: Steep snow-covered slopes should be treated with caution today. Propagating wet slabs are most likely early as temperatures rise and the snow first becomes wet. As the new snow becomes more saturated, avalanches will be more likely to behave as loose wet sluffs rather than propagating slabs. Wet slabs can have limited warning signs about instabilities below the snow surface. Wet avalanches are challenging to forecast and difficult to manage, so consider keeping terrain choices simple, as wet snow debris is heavy, dense, and destructive.