Danger level

2200m

Wind slab

2200m

Caution urged towards trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations

As a result of fresh snowfall and strong-to-storm strength winds from varying directions, trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations have been generated since Friday, particularly in gullies, bowls and behind protruberances in the landscape. These can be triggered by one single skier in all aspects above 2200m. Due to winds the drifted masses will continue to grow further, particularly on SE-S-SW facing slopes in high alpine regions. Caution is urged esp. along the Salzburg. border in the regions where there has been snowfall. Avalanches are medium-sized in isolated cases. Apart from the risks of being buried in snow masses, the danger of being swept along and forced to take a fall need to be taken into consideration.

Snowpack

dp.6: cold, loose snow and wind
dp.1: deep persistent weak layer

From place to place, 20-25 cm of snowfall has fallen since Friday. Winds were blowing at strong-to-storm strength. Freshly generated snowdrift accumulations are poorly bonded with each other and with the old snow. The upper layers of the snowpack are soft; the lower layers are faceted.

Tendency

Forecasts of developments, including of avalanche danger, are still uncertain.

Danger level

1800m

Wind slab

1800m

Circumvent snowdrifts

Avalanche danger above 1800m is moderate, danger is low below that altitude. Snowdrifts are the major problem, these can trigger a small-to-medium sized slab avalanche by minimum additional loading in some places. Danger zones occur near to and distant from ridgelines, mostly on S-N-E facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Frequency of avalanche prone locations tends to increase with ascending altitude

Snowpack

Northeasterly winds will transport the snow on Monday over small areas. Fresh, trigger-sensitive snowdrifts will be generated. Also in the older snowdrifts generated by westerly winds, isolated layers which are prone to triggering are evident. The older drifts are now blanketed and difficult to recognize. At high altitudes in the Allgau Alps, in addition, there is a layer of faceted, expansively metamorphosed crystals beneath a melt-freeze crust. The old snowpack at high altitudes shows marked effects from wind and is highly irregular. All in all, there is still little snow on the ground.

Tendency

Avalanche danger levels are expected to recede.