Allgäu Alps Central

Lots of fresh snow at high altitude

Lots of fresh snow at high altitude

Avalanche danger in the Allgau Alps is considerable above 1500m, below that altitude danger is low. Main problem: immense amounts of fresh snow which fell accompanied by strong winds. Slab avalanches of medium size, in isolated cases of large size, can be triggered even by minimum additional loading, particularly in steep ridgeline zones, wind-loaded gullies and bowls, and distant from ridgelines behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain. The weight of one skier is sufficient. Danger zones increase in frequency and size with ascending altitude. In addition, loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally, especially in extremely steep terrain, and grow to large size at high altitudes. On slopes with smooth ground at intermediate altitudes, small-to-medium glide-snow avalanches can trigger naturally.

On Friday night up to 60 cm of fresh snow was registered, particularly at high altitudes in the Allgau Alps. The fresh fallen snow, accompanied by strong winds, was deposited atop a well settled and often thoroughly wet old snowpack, frequently with melt-freeze crust which bonded well with fresh snow and drifts. On shady slopes the old snowpack surface in wind-protected terrain is often expansively metamorphosed (faceted); in those zones at all altitudes, there is a danger of slab avalanches. Where precipitation has been heaviest, moreover, the critical mass of fresh fallen snow is reached, meaning that loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally. At low altitudes and on south-facing slopes up to intermediate altitudes, the snowfall was deposited on bare ground.

Avalanche danger levels will recede only slowly.