Evaluate snowdrift accumulations on shady slopes with great caution
Due to moderate to strong velocity winds, trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations have been generated over the last few days, particularly on shady slopes above 1800m: easily triggered by one single skier. Gullies and bowls are unfavorable, since weak layers are evident inside the old snow.
Avalanches are sometimes medium-sized. Frequency and magnitude tend to increase with ascending altitude. Apart from the risk of being buried in snow masses, you also need to take the dangers of being swept along and forced to take a fall into consideration.
Snowpack
dp.1: deep persistent weak layer
Snowdrift accumulations cover a weak old snowpack surface on shady slopes above 1800m. The old snowpack is weak, with faceted crystals. It is highly irregular even over small areas.
At all altitudes, there is too little snow on the ground for this juncture of the season, regionally too little snow for winter sports.
Tendency
Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly.
Danger level
2200m
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
2200m
Wind slab
2200m
Evaluate freshly generated snowdrift accumulations on shady slopes with great caution. Caution: persistent weak layer.
The snowdrift accumulations of recent days can easily be triggered in all aspects above 2200m by one single skier. Danger zones occur particularly in gullies, bowls and behind protruberances in the landscape.
Avalanches can fracture down to more deeply embedded layers inside the snowpack on shady slopes in particular, and then grow to larger size. Size and frequency of danger zones tend to increase with ascending altitude.
Whumpf noises and glide-cracks when the snowpack is tred upon are indicators of danger.
Small sized loose-snow avalanches are possible on steep slopes and at the foot of rock cliffs.
Snowpack
dp.1: deep persistent weak layer dp.6: cold, loose snow and wind
As a result of low temperatures and strong-to-stormy winds, fresh snowdrifts have accumulated over the last few days. These now blanket a weak old snowpack surface above 2200m.
Inside the old snowpack there are expansively metamosphosed, faceted crystals, particularly on shady wind-protected slopes.
The snowpack is highly irregular, even over small areas. The various snowdrifts are often still poorly bonded with each other and with the old snowpack.
Inside the old snowpack, particularly on shady wind-protected slopes there are expansively metamorphosed, faceted layers evident.
The snowpack is highly irregular, even over small areas. At all altitudes there is too little snow on the ground for this juncture of the season.
Tendency
Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly.
Danger level
1800m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
1800m
There is little snow on the ground. Danger zones occur in gullies and bowls on shady slopes.
Over the last few days, most shallow snowdrifts have accumulated in gullies and bowls. These can be triggered by large additional loading in isolated cases above 1800m, the releases will mostly require large additional loading in order to trigger.
Avalanche releases will be small-sized. Apart from the risks of being buried in snow masses, the danger of being swept along and being forced to take a fall also require consideration.
Snowpack
Above 1800m the snowdrift accumulations cover a weak old snowpack on shady slopes. The old snowpack is often expansively metamorphosed, with faceted crystals. The snowpack is highly irregular even over small areas.
I At all altitudes there is too little snow on the ground for this juncture of the season. Regionally, there is too little snow for snow sports.
Tendency
Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly.
