Caution urged towards trigger-sensitive, covered snowdrift accumulations with ascending altitude
Avalanche danger above 2000m is moderate, danger is low below that altitude. Snowdrifts are the major problem, these can trigger a small-to-medium sized slab avalanche by minimum additional loading in some places. Danger zones occur near to and distant from ridgelines, mostly on NW-E-SE facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Frequency of avalanche prone locations tends to increase with ascending altitude.
Snowpack
The snowpack at high altitudes is much impacted by winds, snow depths are very diverse, broad and narrow ridges are uttler windblown. Particularly at high altitudes, weak intermediate layers inside the snowpack are still prone to triggering. At intermediate altitudes these layers were able to consolidate well on Saturday due to the milder temperatures.Small snowdrift accumulations are difficult to recognize, because they have been blanketed by a few cm of fresh fallen snow. At high altitudes in the Allgäu Alps, a layer of faceted (expansively metamorphosed) crystals has been generated beneath a melt-freeze crust inside the old snowpack. All in all, there is little snow on the ground.
Tendency
Little change in avalanche danger levels is anticipated.
Danger level
treeline
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
Treeline
Only few danger zones where the snowdrift accumulations are blanketed
Avalanche danger is low, Fresh drifts can trigger small sized slab avalanches by minimum addtional loading, e.g. the weight of one single skier. Danger zones occur near to and distant from ridgelines due to strong winds in steep terrain on NW-E-S facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. The risks of being forced to take a fall outweigh those of being buried in snow masses.
Snowpack
Weak intermediate layers inside the snowdrift masses of recent days were able to consolidate on Saturday due to milder temperatures, they are trigger-sensitive only in a few places. The snowdrifts have been blanketed by a few cm of fresh fallen snow, they are difficult to recognize. The snowpack is much wind-impacted, the snow depths widely varied. All in all, there is little snow on the ground.
Tendency
Little change in avalanche danger levels is anticipated.
Danger level
1800m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
1800m
Covered snowdrift masses are trigger-sensive, esp.at high altitudes
Avalanche danger above 1800m is moderate, danger is low below that altitude. Snowdrifts are the major problem, these can trigger a small-to-medium sized slab avalanche by minimum additional loading in some places. Danger zones occur near to and distant from ridgelines, mostly on NW-E-SE facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Frequency of avalanche prone locations tends to increase with ascending altitude.
Snowpack
The snowpack at high altitudes is much impacted by winds, snow depths are very diverse, broad and narrow ridges are uttler windblown. Particularly at high altitudes, weak intermediate layers inside the snowpack are still prone to triggering. Below 1800m these layers were able to consolidate on Saturday due to higher temperatures. Small snowdrift accumulations are difficult to recognize, because they have been blanketed by a few cm of fresh fallen snow. All in all, there is little snow on the ground.
Tendency
Little change in avalanche danger levels is anticipated.
