Caution urged in little-tracked shady terrain. Attention: daytime warming.
Near-surface weak layers are still prone to triggering, esp. on seldom-tracked shady steep slopes. One sole skier can trigger a small-to-medium loose-snow or slab avalanche. Apart from the danger of being buried in snow masses, the risks of being swept along and forced to take a fall require adequate caution. On steep grass-covered slopes with sufficient snow on the ground or atop smooth ground, isolated small-to-medium glide-snow avalanches are possible. In rocky terrain, increasingly frequent slides and small loose-snow avalanches are possible.
Snowpack
High-altitude shady slopes have small snowdrifts atop often faceted weak soft layers, bonding is often inadequate. At night a breakable crust forms, sometimes capable of bearing loads. On steep north-facing slopes, there is still powder. The old snowpack is well consolidated. On sunny slopes and at lower altitudes the fresh snow will fall on bare ground, the snow is often moist. Not much snow on the ground below 1500m.
Tendency
Observe daytime rise in avalanche danger
Danger level
1900m
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
1900m
Caution: weak layers in old snow are main danger
Avalanches can be triggered in the old snow even by one sole skier. Such danger zones lie on N/W/E facing very steep shady slopes and in transitions into gullies and bowls above 1900m, esp. on the Slovenian border. Very isolated danger zones also occur on very steep sunny slopes above 2600m. Whumpf noises are indicators of imminent danger. Avalanches can in isolated cases reach medium size. Small snowdrifts can trigger on very steep shady slopes at high altitudes and in high-alpine terrain. Danger zones occur seldom. Due to daytime warmth and solar radiation, moist loose-snow avalanches are possible but mostly small-sized, esp. triggerable on extremely steep sunny slopes.
Snowpack
dp.1: deep persistent weak layer dp.10: springtime scenario
Clear skies widespread. Due to low temperatures and low air moisture, near-surface crusts form above 2400m. In the lowermost part of the snowpack there are faceted, expansively metamorphosed weak layers evident, esp. above 2200m. Fresh snowdrift accumulations are being deposited atop soft layers . On sunny slopes, the snowpack softens during the day on extremely steep slopes.
Tendency
Beware weak layers in old snow
Danger level
2000m
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
2000m
Caution urged towards weak layers in old snow
Avalanches can be triggered in the old snow even by one sole skier. Such danger zones lie on N/W/E facing very steep shady slopes and in transitions into gullies and bowls above 2200m. Very isolated danger zones also occur on very steep sunny slopes above 2600m. Whumpf noises are indicators of imminent danger. Avalanches can in isolated cases reach medium size. Small snowdrifts can trigger on very steep shady slopes at high altitudes and in high-alpine terrain. Danger zones occur seldom. Due to daytime warmth and solar radiation, moist loose-snow avalanches are possible but mostly small-sized, esp. triggerable on extremely steep sunny slopes.
Snowpack
dp.1: deep persistent weak layer dp.10: springtime scenario
Clear skies widespread. Due to low temperatures and low air moisture, near-surface crusts form above 2000m. In the lowermost part of the snowpack there are faceted, expansively metamorphosed weak layers evident, esp. above 2000m. Fresh snowdrift accumulations are being deposited atop soft layers . On sunny slopes, the snowpack softens during the day on extremely steep slopes.
Tendency
Caution urged towards weak layers in the old snow
Danger level
2200m
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
2200m
Wet snow
2400m
Weak old snowpack layers still prone to natural triggering at high altitudes
Avalanche danger is moderate above 2200m, below that altitude danger is low. Medium-sized slab avalanches can be triggered by one sole skier in a few steep spots above 2200m. If a fracture occurs it can reach down to more deeply embedded layers in the snowpack and the release grow to medium size. The danger zones are difficult to recognize, occur esp. on very steep north-facing slopes. Caution urged esp. above 2500m on E/W facing slopes. Avalanches in the near-surface drifts remain small-sized. During the course of the day, naturally triggered loose-snow avalanches can be expected in extremely steep south-facing terrain. On steep grass-covered slopes, isolated small glide-snow avalanches are possible in isolated cases.
Snowpack
On shady slopes, 10-20cm of fresh loose snow on the surface, on steep sunny slopes a melt-freeze crust has formed which is often capable of bearing loads. Under that is a melt-freeze crust up to 2400m. Near the crust, faceted crystals have formed. In the lowermost part of the snowpack on shady high-altitude slopes there are several layers of faceted crystals near ground level and elsewhere.
Tendency
On Saturday, fresh snowdrift accumulations will be generated due to intensifying foehn wind
Danger level
1500m
Avalanche Problem
Wet snow
1500m
Predominantly favorable conditions
Due to daytime warmth, slides and small loose-snow avalanches
On sun-bathed steep slopes, increasingly frequent slids and small-to-medium wet-snow avalanches are possible during the course of the day due to solar radiation and daytime rising temperatures. In addition, on steep grass-covered slopes where there is sufficient snow or a smooth ground surface, small glide-snow avalanches are still possible. In addition, isolated danger zones occur esp. in ridgeline shday steep terrain and in extremely steep terrain. Isolated slab avalanches can be triggered by winter sports enthusiasts. Apart from the danger of being buried in snow masses, the risks of being swept along and forced to take a fall require adequate caution.
Snowpack
Steep shady slopes have small snowdrifts atop often faceted weak soft layers, bonding is generally adequate. At night a breakable crust forms, sometimes capable of bearing loads. On steep north-facing slopes, there is still powder. The old snowpack is well consolidated. On sunny slopes and at lower altitudes the fresh snow will fall on bare ground, the snow is often moist by daytime, lower altitude slopes are becoming bare of snow. Below 1500m there is little snow on the ground.
Tendency
Observe daytime rise in avalanche danger
Danger level
2200m
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
2200m
Caution: weak layers in the old snow
Avalanches can be triggered in the old snow even by one sole skier. Such danger zones lie on N/W/E facing very steep shady slopes and in transitions into gullies and bowls above 2200m. Very isolated danger zones also occur on very steep sunny slopes above 2600m. Whumpf noises are indicators of imminent danger. Avalanches can in isolated cases reach medium size. Small snowdrifts can trigger on very steep shady slopes at high altitudes and in high-alpine terrain. Danger zones occur seldom. Due to daytime warmth and solar radiation, moist loose-snow avalanches are possible but mostly small-sized, esp. triggerable on extremely steep sunny slopes.
Snowpack
dp.1: deep persistent weak layer dp.10: springtime scenario
Clear nocturnal skies widespread. Due to low temperatures and low air moisture, near-surface crusts form. The lowermost part of the snowpack is moist below 2500m.Shady slopes: In the lowermost part of the snowpack there are faceted, expansively metamorphosed weak layers evident, esp. above 2200m. Fresh snowdrift accumulations are being deposited atop soft layers . On sunny slopes, the snowpack softens during the day on extremely steep slopes.
Tendency
Caution: weak layers in the old snow
Danger level
1900m
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
1900m
Wet snow
Avalanche danger low. Persistent weak layers in shady high areas!
Avalanche danger is in general low. A few danger spots exist. Medium slab avalanches can be triggered by high additional especially in entries to extremely steep shady gullies, bowls and slopes above 1.900 m. The amount of danger spots is increasing with height. Small spontaneous loose-snow and slab avalanches are to expect on sunny slopes.
Snowpack
Older snowdrift deposits are placed on a weak base in shady high areas. Apart that the snowcover could stabil in the most case due to warming. The snowcover base itself is built by faceted snow and relatively soft. In sunny expositions the snow will get wet and will loose its stability on the surface.
Tendency
On Saturday predominantly cloudy, chaning mountain weather without noteworthy precipitation is to expect. The avalanche danger stays low.
Danger level
Danger of falling outweighs that of being buried in snow masses
Avalanche danger is low. Isolated small loose-snow naturally triggered avalanches are possible or can be triggered by one sole skier. Danger zones for small slab avalanches in the snowdrifts occur seldom on very steep N/E facing slopes at high altitudes. On steep grass-covered slopes, isolated small glide-snow avalanches are possible.
Snowpack
The shallow, generally stable snowpack has consolidated well. About 5-10cm of fresh snow lies atop a melt-freeze crust mostly capable-of-bearing-loads.
Tendency
Avalanche danger levels will increase slightly in the Northern Alps due to intensifying southerly winds.
Danger level
Isolated danger zones. Wet loose-snow avalanches possible on very steep sunny slopes.
Avalanches can be triggered in the old snow even by one sole skier on very steep shady slopes and in transitions into gullies and bowls, esp at high altitudes. Due to daytime warming and solar radiation, isolated moist loose-snow avalanches are possible, esp. on extremely steep sunny slopes, releases mostly small-sized.
Snowpack
dp.10: springtime scenario dp.1: deep persistent weak layer
Clear skies widespread. Due to low temperatures and low air moisture, near-surface crusts form above 2400m. In the lowermost part of the snowpack there are faceted, expansively metamorphosed weak layers evident, esp. above 2000m. Fresh snowdrift accumulations are being deposited atop soft layers . On sunny slopes, the snowpack softens during the day on extremely steep slopes.
Tendency
Danger level
Avalanche Problem
Wet snow
Persistent weak layer
2000m
Only slight avalanche danger problems
Avalanche danger is low. Wet snow is the main problem. Small loose-snow slides can trigger naturally in extremely steep sunny terrain wherever sufficient snow has fallen due to solar radiation. In isolated cases on very steep north-facing slopes at high altitudes, persistent weak layers can be problematic. Near ridgelines, esp in transitions from shallow to deeper snow, small slab avalanches can be triggered by minimum additional loading. In addition, isolated small glide-snow avalanches are possible over smooth ground on steep slopes.
Snowpack
In many places the snowpack is superficially melt-freeze encrusted in early morning hours, later on rapidly softening in the sunshine, superficial layers becoming thoroughly wet in the mild temperatures, and forfeiting their firmness. Otherwise the snowpack is stable and often wet. On south-facing slopes, the ground is bare of snow up to the timberline. In high-altitude zones the near surface snow on shady slopes is still loose and dry. In isolated cases in very steep terrain there is a weak layer at ground level.
Tendency
As cloud cover and mild temperatures increase, the wet-snow problem will increase over the weekend
