Loose Wet
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Possible
- Größe
- 1–1.5
We are in the midst of a pretty ideal melt-freeze cycle currently, with cold clear nights allowing for a solid freeze of the upper snow surface, and warm (but not overly hot) daytime temperatures softening the surface enough for pleasant corn riding on slopes that have received enough sun. Saturday is looking to be more of the same, with very similar weather to Friday on the forecast. For reference, on Friday I found good, stable corn skiing on an upper elevation south-facing slope around 1pm. Although I did not see any signs of wet loose activity in this instance, I would have expected that an hour or so later could have been a different story.
Timing can be critical during these spring diurnal cycles. As the day heats up through Saturday afternoon, the likelihood for triggering a small wet loose avalanche will increase. Although any slide would likely be small, it is important to remember that a small slide knocking you off your feet can have high consequence when on an exposed slope with terrain traps such as cliffs. Monitor the snow surface throughout the day for signs of rollerballing or slushy surface snow. If you are uncertain about the snow's stability, seek shadier or less steep slopes.