Avalanches are snow sliding down a steep slope. An avalanche will be caused if the snow if the snow has built up to be several feet high, and if the slope it is on is 35-45 degree slant or steeper. Some layers on the bottom of the snow will become slick, and will just start to slide down the mountain or hill. The more snow there is, the worse the avalanche will be. This happens at irregular times during the year, but it is much more common in the winter. Depending on the size of the avalanche and how much snow it contains, it could only affect one house, or even a whole town. Before an avalanche happens, people will only know a little while in advance. If the conditions are right and there is a sudden loud noise, such as thunder, it can cause the snow to break loose and slide down the mountain. In all, avalanches are sometimes very dangerous and can affect many people who live by a mountain where it snows a lot.
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