Currently there are quite favourable conditions generally. Avalanches can still in isolated cases be released by large loads, but they will be small in most cases. This applies especially in extremely steep terrain, as well as at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack, when entering gullies and bowls for example. Elsewhere, avalanches can in some cases be released. Since the early morning the wind has been strong adjacent to ridgelines over a wide area. The sometimes strong wind will transport the old snow. In the course of the day the previously small wind slabs will increase in size once again. As a consequence of a gathering storm force wind from northwesterly directions, large surface-area wind slabs will form since Monday especially adjacent to ridgelines as well as above the tree line. The avalanche prone locations are to be found in particular on wind-loaded slopes of all aspects above approximately 2200 m and at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack. The fresh wind slabs are to be found in particular adjacent to ridgelines and in gullies and bowls. Over a wide area easily released wind slabs will form. The sometimes large wind slabs can be released easily, even by a single winter sport participant, especially on east to south to west facing aspects above the tree line. This applies in particular at their margins.
Snowpack
A few centimetres of powder snow blanket the snowdrifted masses from the last few days. These drifts lie at 1800-2100m atop a melt-freeze crust which formed last Friday, under which a trigger-sensitve layer of faceted crystals has formed in some places. In addition, inside the old snowdrifted masses there are often weak intermediate layers. The old snowpack fundament is highly diverse in thickness, in exposed zones it is often lacking completely. At intermediate altitudes the fundament is often moist. On the surface at intermediate altitudes, a thin melt-freeze crust will form at night on sunny slopes, then be melted again once the sunshine strikees it tomorrow.
Tendency
Avalanche danger levels are expected to slowly recede.
