Alaska Avalanches
What is an Avalanche?
What happens during an avalanche?
Disastrous avalanches occur when massive slabs of snow break loose from a mountainside and shatter like broken glass as they race downhill. These moving masses can reach speeds of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour within about five seconds. Victims caught in these events seldom escape. Avalanches are most common during and in the 24 hours right after a storm that dumps 12 inches (30 centimeters) or more of fresh snow. The quick pileup overloads the underlying snowpack, which causes a weak layer beneath the slab to fracture. The layers are an archive of winter weather: Big dumps, drought, rain, a hard freeze, and more snow. How the layers bond often determines how easily one will weaken and cause a slide.
Amazing Avalanches
Avalanches in Motion
What do people do to protect themselves from avalanches?
Mrs. Lojo's Classroom
Email: slojo@eanesisd.net
Website: http://eeslojo.weebly.com
Location: Austin, TX, United States
Phone: (512)732-9100