Beware: the snowpack is still prone to triggering at high altitudes
A single winter sports enthusiast can trigger slab avalanches in the old snow. If one sweeps away the entire snowpack it can grow to medium size. Danger zones are located expecially on steep shady slopes, but also in wind-loaded gullies and bowls in all aspects. Whumpf noises and fractures on the surface are alarm signals. Also remote triggerings continue to be possible. Activities in outlying terrain away from secured ski runs require experience in evaluating the terrain and assessment of avalanche dangers. In addition, as a result of foehn-wind impact, trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations have been genearted particularly in ridgline and pass areas.
Snowpack
The old snowpack is overall unfavorably structured. Intermediate layers inside the snow cover continue to be only moderat-to-weakly bonded together. Settling noises, fractures in the surface and avalanache releases continue to confirm the ongoing proneness to triggering of the snowpack. As a result of intermittently strong southerly winds, fresh snowdrifts have accumulated particularly in high-altitude ridgeline and pass areas; these are deposited atop a loose old snowpack base on shady high-altitude slopes and are prone to triggering.
Tendency
Avalanche danger will recede only gradually. At high altitudes, weak layers inside the snowpack continue to be prone to triggering.
Danger level
treeline
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
Treeline
Moderate avalanche danger at higher altitudes
As a result of foehn-wind impact, generally small-sized, trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations have been generated in places at high altitudes. Older drifts from last week are still prone to triggering in places at high altitudes. Winter sports enthusiasts can triger small, in isolated cases medium-sized avalanches in wind-loaded zones, particularly on steep W-N-E facing slopes and in transitions from shallow to deep snow, for example at the entry into gullies and bowls.
Snowpack
As a result of brisk to strong-velocity southerly winds, fresh snowdrifts have accumulated particularly in high-altitude ridgeline and pass areas. These were deposited on shady high altitude slopes top loosely-packed 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 unfavorably structured layers inside the snowpack is only moderate-to-poor from place to place. As a result of mild temperatures, the snow at low and intermediate altitudes is moist and the surface is melt-freeze encrusted in early morning. At low altitudes there is little snow on the ground.
Tendency
Avalanche danger will recede only gradually due to weakly structured snowpack.
Danger level
Isolated avalanche prone locations on steep shady slopes
Avalanche danger is low. Isolated danger zones are located on extremely steep shady slopes. Small-sized avalanches can, in isolated cases, be triggered even by minimum additional loading. Danger zones occur mostly in transitions from shallow to deep snow, for example, at the entry point into gullies and bowls. The risks of being swept along and forced to take a fall require caution.
Snowpack
The snowpack surface is melt-freeze encrusted in early morning, then softens up during the day, particularly on sunny slopes. At low altitudes there is little snow on the ground. South-facing slopes are becoming increasingly bare of snow.
