Avalanche Weather Forecasting: About the Module
The module begins by introducing avalanches, including the role that weather plays in their formation. This sets the stage for part two, where we present a process for forecasting avalanche weather. The process is divided into four parts:
- Pre-forecast preparation
- Current weather
- Future weather
- Making the final forecast
After the process is described, you’ll have several opportunities to apply it to different avalanche-prone mountainous locations.
By the end of the module, you should be able to determine whether avalanche potential is increasing, decreasing, or staying the same based on the weather. Specifically, you’ll be able to:
- Define an avalanche and describe its components, the types of weather that produce it, the different types of avalanches, and avalanche triggers
- Identify the weather parameters that play a key role in avalanche formation
- Outline the avalanche weather forecast process
- Given a request for an avalanche weather forecast, describe the background information that’s important to gather about the area’s climate, terrain, and snowpack, and its weather and avalanche history
- Describe the process of assessing current and future avalanche weather conditions for avalanche potential
- Describe how the information from the previous steps is integrated to produce a final avalanche weather forecast
This course does not substitute for formal avalanche training course. To find out about avalanche field courses, visit http://www.avalanche.org.