Weisseck, Muhr Valley

Caution: Prone to triggering wind slab and weak persistent weak layer are difficult to recognise in the terrain and should be avoided!

Caution: Prone to triggering wind slab and weak persistent weak layer are difficult to recognise in the terrain and should be avoided!

The avalanche risk is considerable above 2000 m and low below. Above around 2000 m, slab avalanches can be triggered in some places by individual winter sports enthusiasts and can be of medium size. The number and size of avalanche prone locations generally increase rapidly above the tree line. Transitions from little to more snow should be consistently avoided. Caution should also be exercised in the snow-covered entrance areas to steep gullies and bowls as well as behind terrain edges, where prone-to-triggering snow packs are located. Some of these are covered in snow and therefore difficult to recognise! Avalanches that are triggered close to the surface can tear through to deeper weak layers. Whumpfing collapsing sounds when stepping on the snowpack can indicate danger.

On sunny slopes, small loose snow slides can detach spontaneously during daytime changes.

There is fresh, prone-to-triggering wind slab snow on a locally very varied snow surface, which is covered by 10 - 20 centimetres of quite soft new fallen snow and is difficult to recognise. In general, there are often areas with little snow next to considerable snowdrift accumulations. The older snowdrift accumulations and the old snow surface are in places transformed and soft, in places hard as a board. The old snowpack consists of crusts with faceted crystals in between and deep rime. A break usually occurs around the uppermost crust, but can also take deeper layers with it. The total snow depth is well below average. On the sunny slopes, the new fallen snow can lose its binding on the surface during the daytime changes.

It will become increasingly soft during the night, with fog patches forming in the valleys. On Friday, sunshine will often predominate above the fog and high cloud fields will quickly move eastwards in the morning. Visibility is usually very good. The wind will be light to moderate from west to north at all altitudes. Temperatures at 2000 m at -5, at 3000 m around -10 degrees.

Hardly any decrease in avalanche danger, the weak layers in the snowpack remain prone to triggering.