Goldberg Group Central

Circumvent snowdrift accumulations. Hidden persistent weak layer problem.

Circumvent snowdrift accumulations. Hidden persistent weak layer problem.

Avalanche danger above 2000m is MODERATE. Small-to-medium slab avalanches can be triggerd by minimum additional loading in places on north and east facing slopes, higher up also on south-facing slopes. The snowdrift accumulations are generally easy to recognize. Size and frequency of danger zones tend to increase with ascending altitude. As of 2300m, releases can fracture down to more deeply embedded layers inside the snowpack and grow to larger size. Small glide-snow and loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally.

The snow cover has below average depths, is highly irregular and the layering is rather poor. With ascending altitude, increasingly frequent crusts with immediately adjacent faceted crystals are evident, mostly triggerable by large additional loading. On the surface there is less than 40cm of snowdrift, poorly bonded with the old snowpack. Weak layers of fresh snow and at the borderline to the old snowpack are still prone to triggering in some places.

Nocturnal skies will be free of precipitation, residual clouds will increasingly disperse. On Monday, mostly brilliant sunshine. At 2000m warming up to about -6 degrees; at 3000m: -9 degrees. Winds will shift to northeasterly and be blowing often at strong velocity, windspeeds reaching 50 km/hr.

Avalanche danger levels gradually decreasing due to higher temperatures, snowdrift accumulations are stabilizing