Lots of food for thought in this article.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3080528/?tool=pubmed
Phil Jardine
An interesting article, but does it say anything new?
Unless I don't understand some of the detail, it seems clear that people caught in avalanches far from centres of population, where distance from medical care are great, would have a lower survival if injured by the avalanche.
Also, wet, heavy snow is likley to be more rapidly lethal than light power snow; I suspect its greater density, closer to melting point, would cool trapped bodies faster than loose powder.
If I am missing something of greater importance, please get a discussion going.
Steve Goulden