Carnic Alps Lesachtal

A precarious avalanche situation will be encountered over a wide area.

A precarious avalanche situation will be encountered over a wide area.

The fresh snow and the wind slabs formed during the snowfall are lying on top of a weakly bonded old snowpack on west, north and east facing slopes above approximately 1400 m. Especially here avalanches can be triggered in the faceted old snow. This applies even in case of a small load. Mostly avalanches are medium-sized. Remotely triggered avalanches are possible. The avalanche prone locations are widespread and are barely recognisable. The number and size of avalanche prone locations will increase with altitude. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack serve as an alarm indicating the danger. As a consequence of warming during the day and solar radiation loose snow avalanches are possible. The current avalanche situation calls for caution and restraint.

Up to 40 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Saturday. As a consequence of a gusty wind from southerly directions, soft wind slabs formed. These are lying on top of a weakly bonded old snowpack above approximately 1400 m. The old snowpack is faceted and weak. This applies especially in shady places that are protected from the wind. The old snowpack will be subject to considerable local variations.

The current avalanche situation calls for caution and restraint. The new snow and wind slabs remain prone to triggering. Further increase in avalanche danger as a consequence of new snow and wind.