Injury from stones and falling are the main dangers.
The avalanche danger is low. Small sliding snow avalanches can spontaneously release from the north-facing slopes that have not yet been discharged. In shady high altitudes, there are still isolated spots in the old snow that are difficult to trigger for small slab avalanches, especially in gullies and hollows close to the crest. Overall, however, the risk of injury from terrain traps and stones predominates.
Snowpack
The snow depth is well below average for the time of year, with low elevations and the sunny side of the valley being widely bare. The snowpack is moist or even wet on the sunny side up to high altitudes. At high altitudes on the shady side, there are still isolated weak layers of angular crystals in the snowpack, mostly in the vicinity of crusts. The transport potential is low.
Tendency
It will remain dry on Thursday and moderate to brisk southerly winds will set in again.
Danger level
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
The risk of avalanches remains low.
Snow cover is mostly stable. In arid areas above the forest line, weak layers may be present in the snow cover. In a few places in the high mountains, a small, clustered avalanche may be triggered under higher loads. Some creeping of dry, untracked new snow is possible.
Snowpack
dp.4: cold following warm / warm following cold
Snow cover is mostly stable, with significant snowmelt on slopes. In the osoles, weak layers may be present in the old snow cover. Light to moderate south-westerly winds will produce light snow during the day. The snow limit will be around 1800 m above sea level. Up to 10 cm of new snow will fall in the high mountains, with wind building new small drifts.
Tendency
Thursday will be cloudy and foggy in the mid mountains, with a chance of clearer weather in the high mountains above 2000 m. There will be light to moderate westerly winds. On Friday, there will be more clarity in the mountains and the wind will weaken.
Danger level
2200m
Avalanche Problem
Gliding snow
2200m
Avoid areas under sliding snow cracks.
The avalanche risk is low. On very steep, smooth slopes such as meadows or sparse forest areas, individual small sliding snow avalanches can detach themselves.
Snowpack
The snow surface is only partially hardened in the morning and quickly softens again in the middle layers during the day. The snowpack base is partly wet. There is little snow, on the south side the ground is extensively covered with snow well into the middle elevations.
Tendency
The avalanche danger remains low.
Danger level
2600m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
2600m
Persistent weak layer
2600m
Some drift snow and rare danger spots in old snow
Due to the foehn wind, thin drift snow packs were formed in the northern sector from around 2600 metres. These were partially deposited on a loose old snow surface in shady high altitudes. There, small avalanches can be triggered by individual people in blown-in areas, i.e. mainly behind ridges and in gullies and hollows. In the high Alps, this can also affect eastern and western slopes. In these areas, weak layers can occasionally still be found in the old snow.
Snowpack
On the sunny side, the snow cover is soaked right up to the top. On the shady side, the surface is often hardened or covered by freshly formed drift snow. At shady high altitudes, there are angular crystals within the snowpack near crusts, which can occasionally serve as a weak layer. The snow depth is well below average, on the south side there is hardly any snow up to high altitudes.
Tendency
It will remain dry on Thursday and moderate to brisk southerly winds will set in again.
Danger level
Injury due to lack of snow and stones is the main danger.
There is usually not enough snow for snow sports and avalanches can hardly be triggered.
Snowpack
There is no closed snow cover and the terrain is mostly bare.
Tendency
It will remain dry on Thursday and moderate to brisk southerly winds will set in again.
Avalanches can be triggered in the persistent weak layer in isolated cases on very steep shady slopes. These releases are usually small-sized. The risks of injuries from being forced to take a fall outweigh those of being buried in snow masses. Freshly generated, small-sized snowdrift accumulations are prone to triggering and require attentiveness. Isolated, usually small-sized glide-snow avalanches are still possible on steep smooth slopes which have not yet discharged.
Snowpack
The shallow snowpack is well consolidated for the most part, and low in tensions. On shady slopes in high alpine regions, isolated weak layers inside the snowpack occur. As a result of intermittently strong foehn winds, loose old snow was transported from place to place and generated small-sized snowdrifts at high altitudes. There is currently limited information from outlying terrain available to the Avalanche Warning Service.
Tendency
Thursday will be very sunny. Avalanche danger is not expected to change.
Danger level
Not much snow. Low avalanche danger.
Low avalanche danger prevails. Isolated small-sized glide-snow avalanches are possible on steep smooth slopes which have not yet discharged. Glide cracks are signals of potential imminent danger.
Snowpack
There is very little snow on the ground. South-facing slopes are bare of snow up to high altitudes. During the nighttime hours, a breakable to capable-of-bearing-loads crust can form. During the day it softens up, particularly on sunny slopes and at low altitudes.
Tendency
Thursday will be very sunny. Avalanche danger is not expected to change.
Danger level
2200m
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
2200m
Gliding snow
2200m
Few danger spots.
The avalanche danger is low. Old snow is problematic in places. Above 2200 m, small slab avalanches can occasionally be triggered in very steep terrain in northern exposures with high additional loads.
In addition, individual, smaller sliding snow avalanches can release themselves on very steep slopes with smooth ground that have not yet been discharged.
Snowpack
The snow surface has hardened in places in the morning and quickly softens again in the middle layers during the day. Only at the highest altitudes can angular, built-up crystals remain under the snow cover. Above 2200 m, the upper half metre of the snowpack on the shaded side is still partially covered in snow. The base of the snowpack is often wet. There is little snow; on the south side, the ground is covered with snow well into the middle elevations.
