Boletín de aludes

Hardly any wet-snow avalanches expected due to lacking solar radiation

Hardly any wet-snow avalanches expected due to lacking solar radiation

Fresh and older snowdrift accumulations are often prone to triggering, especially on north-facing slopes. Avalanche prone locations occur particularly in ridgeline and pass areas above about 2200m. These should be avoided, mostly because of the risks of being forced to take a fall. As a result of heavy layered cloud cover and lacking solar radiation, hardly any wet-snow avalanches are to be expected during the daytime today. Below about 2000m on smooth, very steep sunny slopes, small-to-medium glide-snow avalanches are possible.

Nighttime skies were overcast, a tiny bit of precipitation and the lack of outgoing radiation and snowpack cooling led to no crust forming. As a result of heavy cloud layers, wet-snow avalanches are not be be expected today. Strong to stormy W/SW winds during the night generated mostly small fresh snowdrift accumulations, these lie deposited on north-facing slopes atop an expansively metamorphosed (faceted) snowpack and are, in isolated cases, prone to triggering. At intermediate altitudes the snowpack base is often moist. On very steep grass-covered slopes this can enhance the gliding movement of the snowpack.

A southwesterly air current reigns: compact clouds are generally above summit level but make light conditions diffuse, a condition further reinforced by dust from the Sahara in the atmosphere. It will remain, with few minor exceptions, dry and mild. At 2000 m: +1 to +5 degrees. Moderate to brisk westerly winds, with additional foehn wind in the classic foehn lanes.

On Tuesday night, skies will be overcast, minor precipitation is anticipated. On Wednesday morning, clouds will disperse and it will turn increasingly sunny. Due to solar radiation and daytime warming, the risks of wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches will swiftly increase during the morning hours.