Chiemgau Alps East

New snow in places prone to triggering

New snow in places prone to triggering

Above 1500 m avalanche danger in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Fresh snow is the main problem. In steep rocky terrain it can release naturally as loose snow avalanches. Wherever the snow is bonded like a slab, caution is imperative, i.e., slabs that are usually small can be triggered by a single person engaged in winter sports. Apart from these risks heed the dangers of being swept along by snow masses or of taking a fall. In addition, very few isolated glide snow avalanches can be expected esp. on very steep slopes with a smooth ground beneath in all aspects - natural triggering is possible. Glide cracks are covered, thus, hard to spot. Glide snow avalanches tend to be small-sized.

There has been 20-40 cm of fresh snow registered, deposited on an icy/encrusted old snowpack surface, generally capable of bearing loads. At higher altitudes older snowdrifts are blanketed. Bonding of fresh to old snow/snowdrifts is good at low altitudes, deteriorates with ascending altitude. In some places, graupel is embedded. NE winds transport the loose snow very effectively; many new snowdrift accumulations will be generated which are deposited atop loose snow layers and are prone to triggering. Shooting cracks can indicate that the snowpack structure is prone to triggering. The old snowpack is thoroughly moist, often wet down to the ground. Gliding movements over the ground are thereby enhanced. At low altitudes the fresh snow was deposited directly on bare ground.

As precipitations abate and thanks to stable high pressure weather avalanche danger will continue to recede in the next few days.