Allgäu Alps West

Beware high-altitude snowdrifts, glide-snow avalanches persist

Beware high-altitude snowdrifts, glide-snow avalanches persist

With ascending altitude, fresh snowdrift accumulations merit caution, they are now blanketed by fresh snow and hard to recognize. Small-to-medium slab avalanches can be triggered by 1 person. Danger zones occur also distant from ridges, behind discontinuities and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls; they increase in both size and frequency with ascending altitude. In high alpine regions the danger zones are more frequent. Backcountry tours require a cautious route selection. Glide-snow avalanches continue to be possible, and can grow to large size where snowfall is heavy. Avoid zones below glide cracks.

The fresh fallen snow and snowdrifts lie deposited atop an irregular snowpack, mostly hardened surfaces, gradually bonding better with the old snowpack. Fresh and older snowdrift masses often lie deposited atop soft layers, esp. on shady slopes, and are trigger-prone. Below 2200 m the old snowpack is thoroughly moist, wet down to the ground, this reinforces gliding over smooth ground. Very little snow on the ground below 1500 m.

Nocturnal hours: heavy cloud cover, a few rain showers. Thursday daytime: residual clouds and then intermittent sunshine, afternoon more clouds will move in, initially snow showers in late afternoon from the north, above 2000 m. At 2000 m: +1-5 degrees. Moderate to brisk SW winds.

Friday will be quite sunny despite cirrus clouds, and very mild, zero-degree level rising to above 3000 m, and thus, rise in danger of wet-snow avalanches during the day to a noticeable degree. Glide-snow avalanches will again be more frequently possible.