Loose Wet
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 1–2
Wet snow avalanches will likely be concentrated at mid-elevations, where significant new snow accumulated earlier in the week. At this elevation, mild temperatures and less wind will keep the upper snowpack warmer, wetter, and less consolidated. At higher elevations, the snow surface will likely start to crust over and be less prone to slide. Minimal snow cover is found in most low-elevation terrain.
Both natural and human-triggered wet avalanches are possible. Pay attention to any snow that starts to move with you when descending. Don’t linger on or directly under places where you see active signs of instability, like rollerballs, pinwheels, or small wet avalanches. These often start in steep rocky or treed areas that shed snow onto a steep slope below.
(1/27/2024)
Steep, rocky terrain is where you are most likely to see wet loose avalanches initiate.
Photo: Pete Durr - USFS