SPOKANE, Wash. — On Tuesday, an avalanche on Silver Mountain in Kellogg, Idaho, killed two people and injured four. One person is still believed to be missing.
This has led many people to ask what causes an avalanche like the fatal one on Silver Mountain.
Simply put, an avalanche is when a layer of snow collapses and slides downhill. This is caused by four main factors.
These factors are, in no particular order:
- A steep slope for the snow to rest on;
- A sudden warming in temperatures, which could cause melting;
- High winds blowing the snow;
- Ice or rocks falling on the snow, setting off the avalanche
It hasn't yet been determined what caused the avalanche and Silver Mountain said the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center will be carrying out an investigation.
One thing that doesn't cause avalanches are sound waves from human voices. This widely popular myth has been debunked many times.
However, things such as skiers, snowboarders and snow mobiles in areas prone to avalanches can trigger one.
Experts say most avalanches happen 24 hours after rapid snowfall and 90% of fatal avalanches are triggered by humans.