In areas below approximately 2200 m the precipitation during the last week fell predominantly as rain, in zones above 2800
m predominantly as snow. The various layers of fresh fallen snow and freshly generated snowdrifts of recent days were deposited
atop one another there. These layers constitute the main danger for dry-snow avalanches.
During the night of predominantly overcast skies the snowpack surface below 2500 m is hardly able to freeze. As a consequence
of solar radiation and the mild daytime temperatures, the snowpack surface swiftly softens and forfeits its stability. Increasingly
frequent wet-snow avalanches are then possible.
On south-facing slopes the snowpack is thoroughly wet far up into high alpine regions; on west-facing and east-facing slopes
the snowpack is wet below approximately 3000 m; and on north-facing slopes below approximately 2600 m. As a result of the
zero-degree level ascending and the impact of solar radiation, the wetness of the snowpack on north-facing slopes at high
altitudes continues to progress further.