Avalanche Problems
While knowing the avalanche danger rating is important, the ratings alone don’t provide information about the nature of the avalanche problem, or the kind of terrain where you’re likely to find it. The problems page describes the different types of avalanche activity you’re likely to encounter. There are eight types of avalanche problems, which we’ll discuss in the following pages. Each avalanche forecast will identify up to three avalanche problems, listed in order of significance. Each problem comprises four icons.
Hover over or tap the icons to learn more about how avalanche problems are presented in the forecast.
This indicates which elevation band you’re likely to find this specific avalanche problem. In this case, the problem is found at treeline and in the alpine. It’s not expected below treeline . 
This icon shows you the particular aspect where you’ll encounter this problem. In this case, wind slabs are expected on all aspects from northwest through to southeast. If you stayed on south or west aspects, you could avoid this problem This icon gives you an idea of the size to expect if you did trigger an avalanche. In this example, the expected size is up to size 2, big enough to bury, injure, or kill a person. This icon gives you an idea of the likelihood of triggering this particular problem. In this case, the forecasters say triggering an avalanche at that elevation and on those aspects is possible and perhaps likely. Understanding avalanche problems is the key to truly managing avalanche risk. With this information, you can make better decisions on which slopes to enjoy and which to avoid.