Loose Wet
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Likely
- Größe
- 1–1.5
The threat of natural and human-triggered wet avalanches will rise during the day. We should consider a couple of specific wet loose avalanche scenarios:
- Thin, surficial slides: Where more snow fell last week (Dollarhide Summit and Soldier Mtns), small slides involving only the recent snowfall are likely in very steep, rocky terrain that is sheltered from the wind and directly faces the sun. This hazard will follow the sun around the compass, beginning on E-SE aspects this morning, moving to S-facing slopes by noon, and impacting W-SW aspects this afternoon and evening.
- Larger, "gouging" slides taking out much of the snowpack: Where the snowpack is less than about 2 feet thick, some slides could involve the entire snowpack. These are most likely on very steep, rocky slopes that are sheltered from the wind. The video to the right/below shows how powerful these avalanches can be. Imagine trying to escape that gloppy mess while it's flowing!
Wet snow stability can change rapidly; think minutes rather than hours. The steep slope that you safely traveled on or beneath in the morning may not be stable later in the day. With last night's weak freeze and today's hot, sunny conditions, crusts could break down quickly. If you're sinking more than a few inches into a wet snowpack that resembles the oatmeal you ate for breakfast, you'll want to stay off of and out from underneath steep slopes. Pay attention to the terrain above you in your travels, and do not linger below very steep slopes longer than needed; wet avalanches frequently release on their own. Plan your day carefully to avoid traveling in or above terrain traps, especially during the afternoon.