Caution on very steep shady slopes in high-alpine zones. Beware daytime increase in avalanche danger.
Winter sports enthusiasts can often trigger small-to-medium avalanches. Danger zones occur esp. on very steep NW/N/NE-facing slopes and are difficult to recognize. Backcountry tours require a cautious route selection. In high-altitude ridgeline terrain the fresh drifts need attentiveness. Due to daytime warming, the snowpack forfeits its firmness and danger rises to Level 2, moderate. Esp on steep sun-bathed slopes, small-to-medium wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches can be expected. In steep terrain, also wet loose-snow avalanches can be triggered. Backcountry tours should be launched early and brought to an end early in the day.
Snowpack
On very steep shady slopes at high altitudes, unfavorable intermediate layers are often evident in the old snowpack. Where there is no wind impact, the uppermost layers of often soft. The old snowpack is thoroughly wet up to high altitudes. Following good nocturnal outgoing longwave radiation the melt-freeze crust is capable of bearing loads in early morning hours. During the course of the day, it softens up from east-to-south-to-west, increasingly also on shady slopes, and thereby forfeits its firmness, more than in recent days.
Tendency
Danger of dry-snow avalanches will recede only slowly. Following a night of cloudy skies, danger of wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches on Sunday morning.
BEFORE NOON Danger level
AFTERNOON Danger level
Avalanche Problem
Wet snow
Gliding snow
Predominantly favorable conditions in the morning. Beware slight daytime rise in danger.
Following a night of clear skies, favorable conditions can be expected by and large in early morning. Isolated triggerings possible by large additional loading. 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. In high-altitude ridgeline terrain the fresh drifts need attentiveness. Due to daytime warming, the snowpack forfeits its firmness and danger rises to Level 2, moderate. Esp on steep sun-bathed slopes, small-to-medium wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches can be expected. In steep terrain, also wet loose-snow avalanches can be triggered. Backcountry tours should be launched early and brought to an end early in the day.
Snowpack
The old snowpack is thoroughly wet up to high altitudes. . Following good nocturnal outgoing longwave radiation the melt-freeze crust is capable of bearing loads in early morning hours. During the course of the day, it softens up from east-to-south-to-west, increasingly also on shady slopes, and thereby forfeits its firmness, more than in recent days. In high-alpine terrain, small snowdrift accumulations are being generated due to foehn wind. At low altitudes there is little snow on the ground.
Tendency
Danger of dry-snow avalanches will recede only slowly. On Friday, much warmer, zero-degree level at 3000m. Danger of wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches will increase.
