Wet Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Likely
- Size
- 1–2
Record temperatures will drive an increase in wet avalanches. You are most likely to trigger wet avalanches in steep, rocky terrain as the slope is baked by the sun. Overnight low temperatures are not getting cold enough to build thick, supportable crusts. Once these crusts break down, you'll need to avoid steep, sunny slopes.
On shady slopes at upper elevations, there is still a chance of triggering an avalanche that breaks on deeper weak layers. Slopes with many rocks sticking up (trigger points) and uneven snow coverage are most dangerous.