During a night of clear skies, a crust capable of bearing loads will form on sunny slopes over widespread areas. As a consequence
of daytime warming and solar radiation this crust will thaw and the snowpack will subsequently forfeit its stability. Wet-snow
and gliding avalanches are then possible. During the last few days there have been only few wet-snow avalanches recorded in
spite of mild temperatures and sunny skies.
In the inneralpine and the southern regions of Grisons more than anywhere else, as well as in the southern Valais, deeply
embedded inside the snowpack there are pronounced weak layers evident. These layers react with particular sensitivity to moistening.
Moist and wet avalanches can sweep away these deeper layers inside the snowpack or avalanches can fracture directly in them.
They can be triggered by persons in some places.
The snowpack on south-facing slopes below approximately 2800 m, on east-facing and west-facing slopes below approximately
2400 m, and on north-facing slopes below approximately 1600 m, is thoroughly wet.