Werdenfels Alps

Heed old snow and snowdrifts with increasing altitude

Heed old snow and snowdrifts with increasing altitude

Avalanche danger is low. Main problem: weak layers in the old snow. Danger zones are located in steep ridgeline terrain in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Slab avalanches can be easily triggered but tend to remain small-sized. In addition, small snowdrift accumulations near ridgelines and in wind-loaded zones are risky. Slab avalanches can easily be triggered, but remain small. In isolated cases, glide-snow avalanches are possible on steep grass-covered slopes.

A few centimetres of fresh snow and some rainfall below about 1100 m in eastern regions, below 1500 m in western regions, atop the shallow, very cold snowpack. Above about 1300 m, 30-60 cm of fresh snow, more in gullies and bowls at high altitudes. Drifts lie atop faceted layers of loose snow and surface hoar. In addition, there are faceted and poorly bonded layers of crystals inside the old snowpack lying between crusts: these are trigger-sensitive. Where there has been rainfall, ice films can develop.

Little change in avalanche danger levels is anticipated.