Tennen Mountains, Gosaukamm

Fresh snowdrift accumulations trigger-prone

Fresh snowdrift accumulations trigger-prone

Avalanche danger above 2000 m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Fresh snowdrift accumulations can trigger by 1 person above 2000 m on steep shady slopes, releases often medium-sized. Danger zones will increase with ascending altitude, also distant from ridges, in steep gullies and bowls and behind discontinuities on W/N/E facing slopes. Latent danger of glide-snow avalanches persists. In high starting zones, avalanches can reach medium-to-large size. Avoid zones below glide cracks. Due to rain impact, small loose-snow avalanches can be expected on extremely steep sunny slopes below 1800 m.

Up to 15 cm of fresh snow will form new snowdrift accumulations, deposited atop a loose snowpack surface on shady slopes. Weak layers occur in the uppermost part of the snowpack. Fresh and older snowdrifts on shady slopes lie atop soft layers (graupel, faceted crystals) and are prone to triggering. Fresh soft snowdrifts blanked older, harder drifts. More deeply embedded weak layers of faceted crystals near crusts are triggerable only in isolated cases.

In the early part of the night, often heavy precipitation, snowfall level dropping in the Northern Alps down to 1200 m. Up to 15 cm of snowfall expected, with strong westerly winds (60 km/hr), after which the clouds will rapidly disperse. Often follow clear skies in the Northern Alps, with few residual clouds. On Thursday in the Northern Alps, few residual clouds, good visibility. As of midday, heavy clouds will move in from the northwest, the peaks will remain in the clear. In afternoon, showers will pass through, snowfall level at 1500 m. Winds initially from the south (50 km/hr) in the Northern Alps, then shifting to westerly. At 2000 m: -4 to -1 degree; at 3000 m: -8 degrees.

Main problem remains: snowdrift accumulations.