Ecological Systems and Devices Annotation << Back MONITORING OF CHARACTERISTICS THAT AFFECT AVALANCHES. STATUS, OPPORTUNITIES AND PROBLEMS P.A. Chernouss Prediction of avalanche in a separate avalanche starting zone is considered as a formal interpretation of various types of data, on the basis of which a conclusion on the possibility of avalanche release is made. The quality of the best forecasting depends on the quality of the data used. The paper points out possible errors in determining the characteristics that control the occurrence of unstable snowpack conditions on the slope and the avalanche release. The possibilities of using these characteristics for operational and longterm, associated with engineering surveys for construction, for forecasting avalanches are considered. The meteorological characteristics, characteristics of the snowpack and mechanical external influences affecting the stability of the snowpack are taken into account. It is proposed to consider the spatial distributions of the characteristics of the snowpack in an avalanche starting zone, as realizations of random fields. To describe their statistical structure, estimates of variances and autocorrelation functions were used. The accuracy of interpolation, the accuracy of substitution the mean integral value and the mathematical expectation with the arithmetic mean are considered as criteria for the accuracy of the snow characteristics obtained from the monitoring network. Methods for rationalisation of the monitoring measurements are suggested. Keywords: avalanche; avalanche starting zone; avalanche-forming factors; monitoring; accuracy; forecasting. DOI: 10.25791/esip.11.2021.1266 Pp. 069-077.