Werdenfels Alps

Snowdrifts at high altitudes prone to triggering

Snowdrifts at high altitudes prone to triggering

Avalanche danger above 1800m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Snowdrifts are the major problem, they can trigger small-to-medium sized slab avalanches by minimum addtional loading, e.g. the weight of one single skier. Danger zones occur near to and distant from ridgelines due to strong winds in steep terrain on NW-E-S facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. The frequency of avalanche prone locations tends to increase with ascending altitude. Small glide-snow avalanche on smooth, steep grassy slopes at low and intermediate altitudes and small loosely-packed slies in steep rocky terrain are possible.

Highly stormy winds are transporting the fresh fallen snow and accumulating drifts in leeward slope regions. Inside the drifts there are often soft, trigger-sensitive intermediate layers. The fresh snow and fresh drifts are being deposited atop bare ground at low and intermediate altitudes, or atop a moist old snowpack surface, but can bond well with them. At high altitudes, there is a layer of faceted crystals beneath a melt-freeze crust, this can be trigger-sensitive. At low and intermediate altitudes the base of the snowpack is wet down to the ground, thus, the snow can glide away over smooth ground surfaces. All in all, there is still little snow on the ground.

With more snowfall avalanche danger will increase slightly.