As a result of foehn wind impact, fresh, trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations have been generated particularly in ridgline and pass areas. In addition, one single winter sports enthusiast can trigger slab avalanches in the old snow. If these sweep away the entire snowpack, they can grow to medium size. Danger zones are found especially on steep shady slopes, but also occur in wind-loaded gullies and bowls in all aspects. Whumpf noises and fractures in the snowpack surface are alarm signals. Also remote triggerings continue to be possible. Activities in backcountry, away from secured ski runs, demand experience in evaluating the terrain and assessing avalanche dangers.
Snowpack
As a result of brisk-to-strong velocity southerly winds, fresh snowdrifts have accumulated especially in ridgeline and pass areas which on shady, high-altitudes slopes lie atop a loosely-pack fundament of old snow and are prone to triggering. Bonding of the fresh snow and drifts from last week to the often faceted, expansively metamorphosed old snowpack surface and inside the unfavorably structured layers of old snow continues to be moderate-to-weak. Remote triggering, settling noises and fractures on the surface of the snowpack confirm the ongoing proneness to triggering.
Tendency
No significant change is anticipated. At higher altitudes, weak layers in the old snow and freshly generated snowdrifts are prone to triggering widespread.
Danger level
treeline
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
Treeline
Moderate avalanche danger at higher altitudes
As a result of foehn-wind impact, generally small trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations have been generated from place to place. Older drifted snow from last week is still prone to triggering in some places at high altitudes. Winter sports enthusiasts can in the wind-loaded zones, particularly on steep W-N-E facing slopes and in gullies and bowls, trigger small-sized (in isolated cases medium-sized) slab avalanches. At lower altitudes, naturally triggered wet-snow slides and small avalanches are possible during the course of the day.
Snowpack
As a result of brisk-to-strong velocity southerly winds, fresh snowdrifts have accumulated especially in ridgeline and pass areas which on shady, high-altitudes slopes lie atop a loosely-pack fundament of old snow and are prone to triggering. The fresh snow and drifts from last week was able to continue further due to higher temperatures. Bonding of the fresh snow and drifts from last week to the often faceted, expansively metamorphosed old snowpack surface and inside the unfavorably structured layers of old snow continues to be only moderate in places. As a result of higher temperatures, the snow at low and intermediate altitudes has become moist, and the snowpack surface in early morning is melt-freeze encrusted. At low altitudes there is little snow on the ground.
