In the lower part of the snowpack, particularly on west-facing, north-facing and east-facing slopes above approximately 2200
to 2400 m, as well as on south-facing slopes above approximately 2800 m, there are weak layers evident. These can be triggered
by persons in some places, more than anywhere else in central Valais over the Ticino as far as Grisons. In the furthermost
western part of Lower Valais and on the northern flank of the Alps these weak layers are covered over by thick layers of fresher
snow so that they can hardly be triggered by persons.
On west-facing, north-facing and east-facing slopes more than anywhere else, the fresh fallen snow and freshly generated snowdrifts
are being deposited on top of a weak old snowpack surface composed of expansively metamorphosed (faceted) snow crystals or
surface hoar. On south-facing slopes the snowpack surface manifests pronounced effects from the sun, which makes it more favourable.
As a consequence of higher temperatures, increasingly frequent small-sized gliding avalanches have released at intermediate
altitudes during the last two days.