Allgäu Alps West

With increasing altitude, snowdrifts demand caution

With increasing altitude, snowdrifts demand caution

At higher altitudes the freshly-generated and older snowdrift accumulations are prone to triggering in some places, easily triggered as small-sized, in isolated cases as medium sized slab avalanches. Danger zones occur behind protruberances in the landscape, in gullies and bowls, and on freshly wind-loaded slopes. Magnitude and spread tend to increase with ascending altitude. Avalanche headquarters currently has little data from outlying regions about the snowpack, for that reason a cautious on-site evaluation is important. Below the treeline, avalanche danger is low. Isolated danger zone for small triggerings (slides) are possible in steep terrain. The risks of being swept along and forced to take a fall need to be considered.

The latest round of fresh snowfall was deposited atop a well consolidated old snowpack surface showing marked effect from the wind. Knolls and ridges are often totally windblown or have only a bit of fresh snow, gullies and bowls have noticeably more snow. With increasing altitude, particularly in pass and ridgeline areas, mostly small-to-medium snowdrift accumulations are evident. They are only moderate well bonded to the old snowpack surface, making them often prone to triggering.

The most recent snow showers will taper off during the night, clouds may disperse somewhat. High-foglike residual clouds (upper borderline at 1500m) will disperse on Tuesday and sunshine will follow, in spite of some cloudbanks. At 2000m: -8 to -4 degrees. High altitude winds: light-to-moderate to brisk from E to SE.

Currently, no significant change is expected.