Q:
How long do avalanches last?
A:
Quick Answer
An avalanche can last from a few seconds to several minutes. Usually it lasts for under a minute. The entire event takes place very quickly once the snow begins to role downhill. It can reach speeds in excess of 100 kilometer per hour
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Full Answer
Sometimes several avalanches take place in quick succession making it look like one big avalanche.
An avalanche is triggered when several layers of snow pile up with a weak supporting layer beneath it. The snow may be fresh and powdery. The steep slopes of a mountainside and a lack of vegetation are factors that allow the snow to hurtle downwards. Being buried under an avalanche is a mountaineer’s worst nightmare, and he not many survive.
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