Loose Wet
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Possible
- Größe
- 1–1.5
Thursday’s warming temperatures and sunshine could be a big change for any cold, dry surface snow. As it warms, expect it to become wet and sticky, and try to slide downhill. The big question is how much recent snow sits over the firm atmospheric river (AR) crust. This will be the limiting factor for the likelihood and size of any avalanches.
Fortunately, these slides should be easy to anticipate and avoid. Snow falling from trees and rock, rollerballs, and even tiny loose slides are great early indicators. You may trigger loose wet slides on similar slopes, and conditions could progress with natural avalanches releasing.
Mild temperatures and a few sunbreaks may have already started this process on more southerly slopes. Consequently, the more off-aspects (NE-E, W-NW) could be more hazardous. Wet snow might even reach all the way around the compass dial.
Even though these slides should be generally small, they may travel easily over the underlying crust and run far down the slope. Don’t let one carry you over a cliff or into a creek.
(4/1/2025)
A few large rollerballs even on these N facing slopes. These are often a precursor to wet loose slides.
Photo: Trevor Kostanich