Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for great restraint.
Weakly bonded old snow and gliding snow require caution. In particular steep sunny slopes: Further increase in danger of wet avalanches as a consequence of warming.
In particular on very steep slopes medium-sized natural avalanches must be expected. In some places the avalanches can penetrate down to the ground and reach large size. Mostly the dry avalanches are medium-sized and can be released by a single winter sport participant. Remotely triggered avalanches are possible. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack serve as an alarm indicating the danger. The avalanche prone locations are prevalent and are barely recognisable, even to the trained eye. Backcountry touring calls for meticulous route selection. Avalanches can be released in the old snowpack and reach large size in isolated cases. This applies even in case of a single winter sport participant. Caution is to be exercised in particular in little used terrain, as well as at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack, when entering gullies and bowls for example. In their paths avalanches can entrain the wet snow. This extends the avalanche runout distances. The no longer entirely fresh wind slabs remain for the foreseeable future prone to triggering in particular on steep west, north and east facing slopes above approximately 2400 m. As a consequence of warming during the day and solar radiation wet avalanches are to be expected. This applies in particular on very steep sunny slopes, and at the base of rock walls. The runout zones are to be treated with caution.
Snowpack
dp.1: deep persistent weak layer dp.10: springtime scenario
Distinct weak layers exist in the bottom section of the old snowpack. The meteorological conditions will foster a gradual weakening of the snowpack on sunny slopes. The snowpack remains unstable over a wide area, especially adjacent to ridgelines and in pass areas in all altitude zones, as well as in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain at elevated altitudes.
Tendency
The snowpack remains prone to triggering over a wide area. The avalanche danger will persist. The activity of wet avalanches will gradually increase.
EARLIER Danger level
treeline
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
Treeline
Wet snow
LATER Danger level
treeline
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
Treeline
Wet snow
1500m
Wet snow
1500m
Weak layers in the old snowpack can be released in isolated cases. The danger of wet avalanches will increase during the day.
Avalanches can in isolated cases be released in the old snowpack and reach medium size on west, north and east facing slopes. This applies in case of a single winter sport participant. In their paths avalanches can entrain the wet snow.
As a consequence of warming during the day and solar radiation individual small and medium-sized wet avalanches are to be expected.
Snowpack
dp.1: deep persistent weak layer dp.10: springtime scenario
Distinct weak layers exist in the old snowpack in particular on west, north and east facing slopes.
Outgoing longwave radiation during the night will be good over a wide area. Sunshine and high temperatures will give rise as the day progresses to rapid and thorough wetting of the snowpack.
Tendency
Weakly bonded old snow and wet snow require caution.
