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Forecasting for dry and wet avalanches during mixed rain and snow storm events

January 15, 2019

Professionals in coastal and some inland mountain ranges regularly face mixed rain-snow events. Professionals in inland ranges frequently deal with persistent slab avalanches failing on old faceted layers buried deep within the snowpack. What happens when you combine these snowpack and weather events? Widespread avalanching involving faceted layers during mixed rain-snow events is rarely observed and is not as well-understood. Last March, USFS Sawtooth Avalanche Center (SAC) staff observed this scenario.

Publication Year 2019
Title Forecasting for dry and wet avalanches during mixed rain and snow storm events
Authors Scott Savage, Erich Peitzsch, Simon Trautman, Benjamin VandenBos
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title The Avalanche Review
Index ID 70202866
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center