Vicentine Prealps

Older wind slabs must be evaluated with care and prudence at elevated altitudes. Less snow than usual is lying.

Older wind slabs must be evaluated with care and prudence at elevated altitudes. Less snow than usual is lying.

The wind slabs of the last few days are clearly recognisable to the trained eye. They represent the main danger. Mostly the avalanches are small and can mostly be released by large loads. The avalanche prone locations are to be found at transitions into gullies and bowls. Apart from the danger of being buried, restraint should be exercised as well in view of the danger of avalanches sweeping people along and giving rise to falls.

The snowpack will be generally subject to considerable local variations. Hard wind slabs are lying on soft layers in particular on shady slopes. The weather conditions will foster a stabilisation of the snow drift accumulations. Sunshine and high temperatures will give rise as the day progresses to slight softening of the snowpack in particular on steep sunny slopes below approximately 2700 m. From a snow sport perspective, in most cases insufficient snow is lying.

Older wind slabs represent the main danger.