If snow absorbs sound, then is an avalanche quiet?

Snow can absorb sounds when there isn't a lot of sound there. You can hold a conversation with someone while it is snowing, after all. If snow can't cancel out a conversation, what chance does it have against an avalanche? read more

There is a huge amount of material coming down the mountain in an avalanche. It’s crushed and ground into pieces of all sizes. Some amount of that is smaller particles that will float in the air. read more

The two sound recordings were made in a reverberation chamber (hard, flat & reflective surfaces) and in a semi-anechoic chamber (angled & absorbent surfaces). Fallen snow absorbs much of the reflected sound ( from the ground, roofs and near-by objects) that we would normally hear, so making it quieter, assuming the same sources of sounds. read more