When do most human-triggered avalanches occur?

• A. During a Storm
• B. After a Storm Ends
• C. In Stable Conditions
• D. During or Within 24 Hours After a Storm

Answer: (D)

Avalanche danger hinges on a snowpack that’s rapidly loaded and has weak layers. A storm brings fresh snow and often wind-deposited slabs that sit on older, less stable layers. That combination creates a fragile structure that can fail under a human trigger. The instability is greatest during the storm and for the first day after, while loading is still occurring and the snow hasn’t had time to settle. Once that loading window passes, the immediate risk tends to drop as the snow reorganizes, though conditions can remain variable. So the period during a storm and in the first 24 hours after is when human-triggered avalanches are most likely to occur.