Avalanche.report

Saturday 15.04.2023

Published 14 04 2023, 17:00


Danger level

treeline
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
Treeline
New snow
Persistent weak layer
2600m


The new snow and wind slabs represent the main danger. Weakly bonded old snow at elevated altitudes.

The large quantity of fresh snow of the last few days and the wind slabs formed by the wind can be released easily, even by a single winter sport participant,. The avalanche prone locations are to be found in steep terrain above the tree line. Caution is to be exercised in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain. The avalanche prone locations are sometimes covered with new snow and are difficult to recognise. At elevated altitudes the likelihood of avalanches being released is greater. Natural avalanches are possible.
Additionally avalanches can also release deeper layers of the snowpack and reach large size in isolated cases, especially on very steep west, north and east facing slopes above approximately 2600 m.
On extremely steep slopes more loose snow avalanches are to be expected, even medium-sized ones. In addition in particular in the regions exposed to heavier precipitation, gliding avalanches are possible, especially on steep grassy slopes at intermediate and high altitudes.
Caution and restraint are required.

Snowpack

dp.6: cold, loose snow and wind
dp.4: cold following warm / warm following cold

The snowpack will be prone to triggering.
Over a wide area 40 to 60 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Wednesday. In some regions 5 to 15 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, will fall on Saturday. As a consequence of the sometimes storm force wind the wind slabs have increased in size once again on Friday. The various wind slabs have bonded poorly together. In some places new snow and wind slabs are lying on soft layers, in particular at elevated altitudes.
Faceted weak layers exist in the old snowpack on very steep west, north and east facing slopes, especially above approximately 2600 m on the Main Alpine Ridge. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack and naturally triggered avalanches indicate the unfavourable bonding of the snowpack in the regions exposed to substantial precipitation.

Tendency

Sunday: The new snow and wind slabs remain prone to triggering. Experience and restraint are required.


Danger level

1400m
Avalanche Problem
New snow
1400m
New snow
1400m


Considerable avalanche danger will be encountered over a wide area. The new snow and wind slabs can be released easily.

The fresh snow and the wind slabs formed by the wind can be released by a single winter sport participant. The avalanche prone locations are to be found in all aspects above approximately 1400 m, caution is to be exercised in particular in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain. The avalanche prone locations are sometimes covered with new snow and are difficult to recognise. Their prevalence will increase with altitude.
Avalanches can in many cases reach medium size.
On extremely steep slopes more loose snow avalanches are to be expected.
Gliding avalanches can also occur, especially on steep grassy slopes in the regions exposed to heavier precipitation.
Experience and restraint are required.

Snowpack

dp.6: cold, loose snow and wind
dp.2: gliding snow

Over a wide area 40 to 60 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Wednesday. The snowpack will be prone to triggering over a wide area.
Over a wide area in some localities up to 20 cm of snow will fall on Saturday. As a consequence of the sometimes strong wind the wind slabs have increased in size once again on Friday. New snow and wind slabs are lying mostly on soft layers, in particular at elevated altitudes. In some cases the various wind slabs have bonded poorly together. Isolated whumpfing sounds and shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack indicate the existence of a weak snowack on very steep slopes.

Tendency

Sunday: The new snow and wind slabs remain prone to triggering. Experience and restraint are required.


Danger level

treeline
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
Treeline
New snow


The new snow and wind slabs represent the main danger.

Restraint is advisable on this first sunny day.
The fresh snow and the wind slabs formed by the strong wind can be released easily, even by a single winter sport participant,. The avalanche prone locations are to be found in steep terrain above the tree line. At elevated altitudes the likelihood of avalanches being released is greater. Avalanches can reach quite a large size, in the regions exposed to a lot of new snow especially.
Individual natural avalanches are not ruled out, in particular on wind-loaded slopes at elevated altitudes.
On extremely steep slopes more loose snow avalanches are to be expected, in the event of prolonged bright spells in particular. In addition in particular in the regions exposed to heavier precipitation, individual gliding avalanches are possible.
Experience and restraint are required.

Snowpack

dp.6: cold, loose snow and wind
dp.2: gliding snow

The snowpack will be in some cases prone to triggering.
Over a wide area 20 to 50 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Wednesday. As a consequence of the sometimes storm force wind the wind slabs have increased in size once again on Friday. The various wind slabs have bonded poorly together. In some places new snow and wind slabs are lying on soft layers, in particular at elevated altitudes.
Isolated avalanche prone weak layers exist in the old snowpack on very steep shady slopes, especially at elevated altitudes.

Tendency

Sunday: The new snow and wind slabs remain prone to triggering. Caution and restraint are required.


Danger level

2000m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
2000m


Fresh wind slabs require caution.

The fresh wind slabs can be released by a single winter sport participant in some cases. The avalanche prone locations are to be found in particular on steep west to north to east facing slopes above approximately 2000 m. Caution is to be exercised adjacent to ridgelines and in gullies and bowls. At elevated altitudes the likelihood of avalanches being released is greater. Avalanches can reach medium size in isolated cases.
On extremely steep slopes individual loose snow avalanches are possible, in the event of prolonged bright spells in particular in all regions.

Snowpack

dp.6: cold, loose snow and wind

Over a wide area 10 to 20 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Wednesday. In some places wind slabs are lying on soft layers, in particular on steep shady slopes at elevated altitudes.
As a consequence of the strong wind the wind slabs have increased in size once again on Friday. In some cases the various wind slabs have bonded still only poorly together.

Tendency

Wind slabs remain prone to triggering in particular on shady slopes.