Goldberg Group Central

Fresh snowdrifts and persistent weak layer at high and high-alpine altitudes

Fresh snowdrifts and persistent weak layer at high and high-alpine altitudes

Avalanche danger above 2200m is CONSIDERABLE. Slab avalanches can trigger by minimum additional loading both in fresh (Thursday night) and older (southerly foehn-induced on Wednesday and Thursday) snowdrift accumulations near to and distant from ridgelines. The slabs are mostly small, but if fractures go down to lower layers in the snowpack the releases can grow to medium size. Most danger zones are on N/E facing slopes, higher up also on south-facing slopes. Most critical are transitions from shallow to deeper snow and at entries into gullies filled with drifts.

The snowpack is highly varied and still with too little snow for this juncture of the season. Crests and ridges are often windblown, gullies and bowls filled to the brim with snow. Weak layers occur as faceted crystals atop crusts and near-surface (beneath fresh snow and drifts) as well is inside the old snow.

On Thursday night, strong-velocity NW snow showers and winds will pass through. Temperatures will drop significantly at all altitudes. At 2000m from +2 to -12 degrees. All in all, 5-20 cm of fresh snow is anticipated. On Friday, clouds will soon disperse and visibility will become good, apart from some irritating fog. The brisk NW winds (windspeeds reaching 60 km/hr) will gradually recede to higher regions. At 2000m: -11 degrees; at 3000m: -18 degrees.

Wintery temperatures preserving the danger zones, avalanche risks receding only slowly