Avalanche!

Avalanche!

Have you ever heard of an avalanche? Avalanches are sudden natural events where large amounts of snow and ice slide down a mountain. As they slide, the snow and ice get faster. In fact, snow from an avalanche can move as fast as two hundred miles per hour. That is three times faster than a car on a highway!

Most avalanches happen after big storms. New snow puts added pressure on snow already on the mountain. That added pressure can make the old snow break loose and start sliding.  

Avalanches can be dangerous. Heavy snow moving down a mountain may pull other things along, such as trees and rocks. A powerful avalanche can damage everything in its path.

Many people like to ski and snowboard. They want to have fun on mountains. They also want to stay safe. Experts can usually tell when an avalanche might happen. The experts can warn people of the risk. The risk may be low or high. People have to pay attention to warnings to be safe.