Border Pennine Alps

Caution is to be exercised on steep north, east and southeast facing slopes in particular in high Alpine regions.

Caution is to be exercised on steep north, east and southeast facing slopes in particular in high Alpine regions.

The somewhat older wind slabs are covered with new snow and therefore difficult to recognise. These are to be found in particular on north, east and southeast facing slopes and generally in the high Alpine regions. Wind slabs can as before be released, even by a single winter sport participant and reach large size in isolated cases. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack are a clear indication of a weakly bonded snowpack.

The soft wind slabs are bonding only slowly with the old snowpack. Weak layers exist in the snowpack in particular on shady slopes. Adjacent to ridgelines and in gullies and bowls snow depths vary greatly, depending on the infuence of the wind.