Avalanche.report

Thursday 26 December 2024

Published 15 Jan 2025, 07:51:00


Danger level

2000m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
2000m
Gliding snow
2000m


Circumvent snowdrift masses and glide-cracks

Avalanche danger above 2000m is considerable, below that altitude danger is moderate. Slab avalanches can be triggered even by the weight of one sole person. Danger zones occur in steep ridgeline terrain in all aspects and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. At high altitudes isolated avalanches can grow to large size. Glide-snow avalanche activity is increasing. Glide-snow avalanches can trigger naturally at any time of day or night, particularly on south-facing steep grass-covered slopes at intermediate altitudes. They can grow to medium size.

Snowpack

Fresh snowdrift accumulations are being generated in ridgeline terrain at high altitudes on west-facing slopes. Elsewhere in all aspects and in general at high altitudes, loose powder covers the snowpack consisting of older drifted layers, often deep. Inside the snow masses of recent days in the uppermost half-metre of the snowpack there is often a trigger-sensitive weak layer beneath a marked melt-freeze crust. During the course of the day the snowpack surface will become moist on sunny slopes, during the nighttime hours a thin melt-freeze crust will form. At low altitudes the snowpack is moist down to the ground. Gliding movements over smooth grass-covered slopes have been observed increasingly frequently.

Tendency

Avalanche danger levels will diminish in the stable weather and mild temperatures towards the end of the week.


Danger level

1600m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
1600m


Danger of injuries through unwelcome contact with the ground

Avalanche danger above 1600m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Snowdrifts are the main problem. Slab avalanches can trigger even by the weight of one single person. Many danger zones occur in steep ridgeline terrain in all aspects and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Avalanches can reach medium size at high altitudes, otherwise they are small. In addition, the fresh snow of recent days can trigger naturally as loose-snow avalanches in sunny, rocky, steep terrain in isolated cases.

Snowpack

Fresh snowdrift accumulations are being generated in ridgeline terrain at high altitudes on west-facing slopes. Elsewhere in all aspects and in general at high altitudes, loose powder covers the snowpack consisting of older, often deep drifted layers. Inside the snow masses of recent days in the uppermost half-metre of the snowpack there is often a trigger-sensitive weak layer beneath a marked melt-freeze crust. During the course of the day the snowpack surface will become moist on sunny slopes, but gliding movements over smooth grassy slopes remain the exception. The snowpack at low altitudes is still shallow.

Tendency

Avalanche danger levels will diminish in the stable weather and mild temperatures towards the end of the week.