The cause of the Jilong debris flow in Tibet points to a high-altitude ice avalanche. What makes this kind of disaster most unsettling is that it is not as easily perceived by the public as ordinary rainfall. At high elevations with steep terrain and few observation points, once the ice mass becomes unstable, the time available for downstream areas to respond may be extremely limited. Against the backdrop of a warming climate, risks brought about by changes in glaciers and frozen ground cannot be addressed solely with post-disaster explanations; they also require long-term monitoring, information sharing across regions, and more direct evacuation mechanisms. When facing a low-probability but extremely high-impact risk, is continued investment in early-warning systems the most worthwhile use of public spending? #JilongDebrisFlow