Valsavaranche

The danger of dry and wet avalanches will increase quickly in the early morning.

The danger of dry and wet avalanches will increase quickly in the early morning.

As a consequence of rising temperatures and significant solar radiation and the occasionally strong northerly wind, a dangerous avalanche situation will develop on Tuesday. The backcountry touring conditions are unfavourable. These meteorological conditions will bring about a rise in the danger of dry and wet avalanches in particular at high altitudes and in high Alpine regions. Especially in starting zones where no previous releases have taken place medium-sized and large dry and wet avalanches are possible. The avalanches can in isolated cases reach low altitudes. In particular in regions exposed to heavier precipitation and at high altitudes and in high Alpine regions such avalanche prone locations are more prevalent. Additionally in some places avalanches can penetrate near-ground layers of the snowpack. The fresh wind slabs are to be assessed with care and prudence. These can in many places be released, even by a single winter sport participant and reach medium size.

From early morning the weather will be mostly sunny. Sunshine and high temperatures will give rise as the day progresses to a loss of strength within the snowpack over a wide area. 30 to 50 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, fell on Monday above approximately 2600 m. Since Saturday on very steep slopes numerous medium-sized and, in isolated cases, large avalanches were reported. The spring-like weather conditions gave rise to rapid moistening of the snowpack over a wide area. These conditions facilitated a substantial settling of the near-surface layers in particular below approximately 2500 m. Especially at high altitudes and in high Alpine regions a lot of snow is lying. Individual weak layers exist in the snowpack in shady places that are protected from the wind, especially above approximately 2400 m.

The avalanche danger will not decrease for the time being.