Chiemgau Alps East

Breaking cornices possible at all altitudes

Breaking cornices possible at all altitudes

Avalanche danger in the Bavarian Alps is moderate. At high altitudes the fresh snowdrift accumulations are the main problem. One sole skier can trigger a slab avalanche in steep ridgelin terrain in N/E/SE aspects and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Apart from that, during the course of the day the danger of moist and wet loose-snow and glide-snow avalanches will increase. In the afternoon, naturally triggering wet-snow avalanches can be expected up to nearly 2000 m. On shady slopes where snowfall has been heaviest, these can reach medium size.

On Wednesday night and during the day on Thursday in the Allgäu Alps above 1600m, up to 20 cm of fresh snow is expected, in the eastern regions up to 10 cm, below 1600 m there will be rainfall. At high altitudes in exposed ridgeline and summit zones, strong westerly winds will generate fresh drifts, poorly bonded with the snowpack surface and thus, prone to triggering. In addition, wind-impacted fresh snow from the last few days contain weak layers inside. At intermediate altitudes the snowpack is becoming swiftly reduced. Mild temperatures and rain seepage are making the snowpack thoroughly wet, weakening it further. In addition, the snow is becoming wet from the warm earth, it could begin to glide as a single mass. Below 1400m the slopes are largely bare.

The next few days will bring us stormy weather with precipitation. Avalanche danger is not expected to change significantly.