Allgäu Alps West

Considerable avalanche danger at high altitudes

Considerable avalanche danger at high altitudes

One single winter sports enthusiast can trigger slab avalanches in the old snow. When they sweep away the entire snowpack, the avalanches can grow to medium size. Danger zones occur especially on steep shady slopes, but also in wind-loaded gullies and bowls in all aspects. Whumpf noises and fractures on the surface are alarm signals. Also remote triggerings continue to be possible. In addition, freshly generated snowdrifts in higher-altitude pass and ridgeline zones require caution. Activities in backcountry require experience in evaluating the terrain and assessing avalanche danger.

As a result of often strong-velocity southerly winds, fresh snowdrift accumulations have been generated in ridgeline terrain and pass zones which are prone to triggering. Bonding of the most recent fresh snow and drifts to the often faceted, expansively metamorphosed old snowpack surface and inside the unfavorably structured layers of old snow continues to be moderate-to-weak. In addition, layers inside the fresh snow and drifted snow masses from last week are often still prone to triggering. Remote triggerings, settling noises, fractures on the surface continue to confirm the trigger-sensitivity.

Moderate-velocity foehn wind impact. Widely dispersed cloudbanks will fill the sky, permitting only diffuse sunshine to penetrate. In northern regions weather will be better than in the south. Temperature at 2000m: +2-4 degrees; at 3000m: -3 degrees. Moderate southerly winds at high altitude, in foehn lanes blowing at brisk strength.

No significant change is anticipated. Layers of old snow remain prone to triggering at high altitudes.