WHAT AN AVALANCHE IS

The Italian avalanche offices have agreed upon using only one term: to describe a moving mass of snow down a slope, no matter if small or large, the term “avalanche” is used.

SUMMARY

• What an avalanche is
• Snow
• Snowcover stability
  Snowcover
  Stresses and motions
  Stability
• Avalanche classification
  Starting, run-out and deposition areas
  Classification
• Avalanche types
  Loose snow avalanches
  Slab avalanches
  Wet snow avalanches
  Dry snow avalanches and mixed avalanches
• Avalanches in time
• Avalanche accidents
• When do avalanches “fall”?
• Prevention
• Cartography
• Protection works
• Artificial avalanche triggering
• Local avalanche commissions
• Uncontrolled zones
• Survival curve
• Self-rescue and organized rescue
• Snow and weather bulletin
• Empirical tests of stability
• References