Continental

Lawinenprobleme

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  Persistent Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Hochgebirge
  • Waldgrenze
  • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze

  Wahrscheinlichkeit

  Possible

  Größe

  1.5–3

  After nearly six weeks of clear, cold weather, the snowpack has broken down and become faceted (weak) throughout. While the snowpack is weak, the likelihood of triggering an avalanche has decreased throughout this time due to the lack of stress on the snowpack. Unfortunately, recent strong wind events have created a highly variable upper snowpack, making it difficult to describe one setup that users will encounter. Expect to find multiple layers of wind slab with faceted snow in between, with conditions varying significantly by aspect and location. 

  It has been a week since our last reported human triggered avalanche, but due to the poor structure of the snowpack it still remains possible that a person or machine could find the perfect trigger point to initiate a large hard slab avalanche, particularly in steep rocky terrain. This remains a low likelihood, high consequence scenario due to the potentially large size and hard slab characteristics of the avalanche.

  The best way to mitigate a persistent slab problem and increase your safety margins is to use safe travel protocols like spacing out, riding one at a time, and making sure you are stopping in safe zones.

  

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  Loose Wet

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Hochgebirge
  • Waldgrenze
  • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze

  Wahrscheinlichkeit

  Possible

  Größe

  1–2

  The sun continues to get higher in the sky and daily high temperatures have slowly increased throughout the week. Wet loose and other solar-triggered avalanche activity has remained limited so far, but small wet loose avalanches have been observed on south through west aspects during the afternoon hours. As the warmer temperatures penetrate the snowpack we are also concerned about faceted weak layers losing what little strength they have and become more reactive.

  Watch for moistening surface snow, rollerballs, small loose avalanches, and failing cornices as slopes heat up throughout the day. If you begin to observe any of these signs, expect hazards to increase with additional sun exposure.

  Please share any observed avalanche activity to help us track how this problem is developing.

   

  

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  Deep Persistent Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Hochgebirge
  • Waldgrenze
  • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze

  Wahrscheinlichkeit

  Unlikely

  Größe

  2–3

  Weak snow near the ground is increasingly common as you move North through our forecast zones, with the Continental zone being the most concerning. Although it still remains unlikely to trigger this layer, areas that have been scoured from strong northeast winds now have a shallower snowpack, making this layer closer to the surface and potentially easier for a rider to trigger.

  This is a low-likelihood but high-consequence problem most likely to be triggered in steep, rocky terrain and areas where the snowpack is thin or scoured. Triggering this layer directly is unlikely at this time, but avalanches that start in the upper snowpack could step down to the basal weak layer.  There is a high degree of uncertainty regarding the poor structure at the base of the snowpack.