Loose Wet
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 1–2
Many wet loose avalanches happened yesterday as the strong March sun and warm weather transformed cold soft snow into wet snow. People triggered some of these, and some of them released naturally. One party reported getting "caught/carried for roughly 50 ft." Wet loose avalanches will be possible again today as soon as the sun and warm weather melt through last night's refreeze, especially on slopes that face the sun directly (E-SE-S-SW-W). While less wet snow will form on northerly aspects, sluffs of loose dry snow may still occur on a few steep northerly facing slopes. Wet loose avalanches could entrain enough snow to knock a person over or push them into a terrain trap that magnifies the consequences of an avalanche. On long steep slopes, some of them could grow large enough to bury or injure a person since they will entrain more snow as they slide downhill.
Roller balls and pinwheels indicate that the snow surface is losing strength and larger wet loose avalanches could occur. Once the surface crusts melt and the snow starts to feel wet, it's time to move to a colder aspect or switch to recreating on less steep slopes away from avalanche terrain.
(3/8/2025)
Skiers triggered this wet loose avalanche on Flagpole Peak near Echo Summit.
Photo: Jason Pauls