Loose Wet
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Possible
- Größe
- 1–2
Spring days mean snow conditions start out firm and frozen in the morning and become wet and mushy as the day warms up. Pay attention to changing conditions, and consider moving away from avalanche terrain once the snow becomes wet or unsupportable. Small wet snow sluffs, sinking into boot-top-deep wet snow, roller balls, and pinwheels can indicate that larger, wet, loose avalanches may soon occur.
Despite above-freezing temperatures in many places last night, clear skies should have allowed enough heat to escape from the snowpack for some of the wet snow that formed yesterday to refreeze. This kind of refreeze is not as strong or thick as one driven by cold temperatures, so expect a thin surface refreeze that will melt quickly as it warms up today. Once the refreeze melts, strong sun and warm weather will allow deep, wet snow to form in some places. The most wet snow will form on the sunniest slopes, and avalanches of wet loose snow will become possible as the day warms up. Some wet loose avalanches may be small, and some could be large, especially on long, steep slopes, where they could entrain more snow as they slide downhill.