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What are Avalanches? An avalanche is a rather large mass of snow that slides down a mountainside. Even though it's just a lot of snow, it can be classified as one of three main kinds of avalanches: dry snow avalanches, wet snow avalanches, and slab avalanches. Dry snow avalanches are mixtures of powdery snow and air. It can go up to 100mph. A wet snow avalanche is, of course, a mound of wet snow that typically moves slower than dry snow avalanches. Last, but not least, are slab avalanches. These avalanches are large slabs of snow that breaks off and falls apart as it slides.
How do they form? Avalanches form when disturbances, such as blizzards, dislodge a large mound of snow.
What are Avalanches caused by? Avalanches are caused by weather that makes the snow unstable. Earth tremors, heavy winds, and explosions can also cause avalanches. |
