Loose Wet
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1
Warm temperatures last night coupled with overnight cloud cover should have prevented a good refreeze from occurring in many areas. While today's cloud cover and slightly cooler temperatures may not melt the snow as quickly as yesterday's sunny warmer weather, today's warming should still be enough to melt through the minimal to non-existent refreeze from last night. Loose wet avalanche activity will become possible again especially on sun-exposed E-SE-S-SW-W aspects. The cloud cover could also help spread the warmth to the more northerly aspects and some loose wet instability could exist on those slopes. Wet snow instabilities could include pinwheels, rollerballs, and loose wet avalanches. Some of the loose wet avalanches could involve enough snow to injure a person.
Wet sticky snow, boot-top-deep wet snow, active roller balls or pinwheels, and other loose wet avalanches can indicate increasing wet snow instability. Once signs of wet snow exist, move to a colder more shaded aspect or lower angle slopes. Planning an early start and an early finish can help avoid loose wet avalanche issues.