Valsavaranche

Fresh and older wind slabs represent the main danger. In addition the danger of moist and wet avalanches will increase from the early morning. The conditions are dangerous for backcountry touring and other off-piste activities. Careful route selection is required.

Fresh and older wind slabs represent the main danger. In addition the danger of moist and wet avalanches will increase from the early morning. The conditions are dangerous for backcountry touring and other off-piste activities. Careful route selection is required.

As a consequence of the strong to storm force northerly foehn wind, fresh snow drift accumulations formed during the last few days. In the course of the day the already large wind slabs will increase in size additionally. High-altitude starting zones will be replenished as a consequence of the wind. Here more medium-sized and large natural dry avalanches are possible. In the typical avalanche paths the avalanches can as before reach fairly large size. With the freezing level at 2600 metres combined with the foehn wind and solar radiation, numerous wet and moist avalanches are expected from the morning onwards, some of which may be large in isolated areas. Single winter sport participants can release avalanches easily, including large ones. Caution is to be exercised on steep slopes, and in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain.

Little snow fell during the night. Over a wide area 5 to 10 cm of snow has fallen above approximately 1800 m. Over a wide area 60 to 100 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Sunday above approximately 1800 m. Until Saturday the wind will be strong over a wide area. The snowpack is unfavourably layered. Adjacent to ridgelines and in pass areas snow depths vary greatly, depending on the infuence of the wind. Some large and, in isolated cases, very large powder avalanches have been released last week. Isolated medium-sized and, in isolated cases, large slab avalanches have been released by people in the last two days.

The danger of moist and wet avalanches will increase during the day.