What are some ways of predicting avalanches?

Two things dictate a pending avalanche: Liquid water content in the snow permits slippage, while the height of the powder against the mountain slope creates the pressure for the tumble. read more

Here in Norway, we know the places that are prone to avalanches. During the winter, inspectors go up in the mountains and cut a slice of the snow. It comes in layers, one for each snowfall. read more

Combine that opacity with the paucity of avalanche research, and you can predict the result: unpredictability. Still, Colbeck says that since the 1950s, avalanche researchers have made"slow, steady progress. read more