Stay Safe in the Snow

An avalanche is a large mass of snow, ice, earth, rock, or other material that rapidly flows down a mountainside or over a precipice. It is a sudden and overwhelming rush or accumulation of snow and debris.

Avalanches primarily consist of flowing snow and air. Large avalanches can capture and move ice, rocks, and trees as they descend. They occur in two general forms:

- Slab avalanches made of tightly packed snow, triggered by a collapse of an underlying weak snow layer.

- Loose snow avalanches made of looser, less consolidated snow.

After being set off, avalanches usually accelerate rapidly and grow in mass and volume as they capture more snow. If an avalanche moves fast enough, some of the snow may mix with the air, forming a powder snow avalanche.

Avalanches can happen in any mountain range that has an enduring snowpack. They are most frequent in winter or spring but may occur at any time of the year. In mountainous areas, avalanches are a serious natural hazard.

[1] Merriam-Webster Dictionary - Avalanche

[2] European Geoscience Union - Review article: Snow and ice avalanche in high mountain Asia

[3] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/avalanche

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalanche

[5] https://www.ortovox.com/uk/safety-academy-lab-snow/01-avalanche-basics/avalanche-factors