Loose Wet
- Alpin
- Limite forestière
- Sous la limite forestière
- Probabilité
- Likely
- Taille
- 1–2
Clear skies combined with warmer temperatures will make wet loose avalanches likely by the afternoon. Today will be the warmest day since the last storm on 4/17. Higher elevations holding larger recent snow totals may be able to produce avalanches large enough to bury a person. Slopes directly facing the sun will have the greatest likelihood of wet loose avalanches. East-facing slopes will warm first, followed by south and then west aspects. Increased avalanche activity may occur near rock features where the surrounding snow surface heats up quickly.
Wet avalanches often start at a point and fan out, quickly entraining large amounts of snow. New snow sits on a poor crust interface allowing these slides to move quickly. Monitor the snow surface for signs of warming such as roller balls or snow shedding from rock features. Steer clear of slopes where snow has become wet, slushy, or unsupportable. Use timing, aspect, and terrain choice to manage this problem.
A D1.5 wet loose avalanche. Wet loose avalanches often start at a point, near exposed rocks or trees, and fan out entraining large amounts of snow.