Tuxer Alps West

Wind slabs and weakly bonded old snow represent the main danger.

Wind slabs and weakly bonded old snow represent the main danger.

As a consequence of the moderate to strong foehn wind, the snow drift accumulations will increase in size. The fresh snow and the wind slabs formed during the snowfall are lying on top of a weakly bonded old snowpack on west, north and east facing slopes above approximately 2200 m. Especially here avalanches can be triggered in the faceted old snow. This applies even in case of a small load. Mostly avalanches are medium-sized. The avalanche prone locations are covered with new snow and are barely recognisable.

As a consequence of a moderate to strong southerly wind, further wind slabs will form. The fresh and older wind slabs are lying on top of a weakly bonded old snowpack. They are bonding only slowly with the old snowpack. Distinct weak layers exist in the old snowpack. The old snowpack consists of faceted crystals. The snowpack will be generally subject to considerable local variations.

The fresh wind slabs can be released by a single winter sport participant.