Loose Wet
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1–1.5
Steep open slopes, especially near rocky features, are the most likely places to trigger a wet avalanche. Be wary if you start to see rollerballs or start sinking into deep into wet snow surfaces. Wet avalanches can start small but may gain enough mass to be a problem if you are around large open slopes or in consequential terrain. On shadier slopes with more abundant dry snow or massive overhanging cornices, problematic layers could break wider and deeper as they get wet or a cornice fails.
Sticking to lower-angle slopes that are well clear of overhead hazards is the best way to deal with the uncertainty surrounding wet avalanches.