Goldberg Group Central

The avalanche danger is high!

The avalanche danger is high!

The avalanche danger soon increases from considerable to high above the tree line, and from low to moderate below. The situation is dangerous for winter sports. On slopes of all aspects (and especially in the foehn corridors), medium to large slab avalanches can be triggered very easily in some places (including remote triggering) by individuals. Naturally triggered avalanches also occur. In particular on north-west to north to east-facing slopes above 2000 metres, surface-triggered avalanches can break through into deeper layers and become very large. Danger areas are sometimes barely recognisable and require a very defensive choice of route. Fresh avalanches, cracks in the snowpack and booming noises indicate danger.

From Sunday to Thursday, about half a metre of new fallen snow was transported extensively and is very prone to triggering. Fresh (from today, Thursday) foehn drift snow and older, over-snowed wind slab snow overlay soft layers of faceted crystals and deep frost. In wind-protected areas, on shady slopes above about 2000 m, on sunny slopes above 2400 m, some surface hoar has also been snowed in. Fractures occur either in soft layers near the surface or around the crust that forms the transition to the completely angular old snowpack. In general, areas with little snow alternate with sometimes considerable snowdrift accumulations in a confined space.

The night will be cloudy and largely free of precipitation. The southerly foehn becomes stronger during the night and reaches speeds of around 90 km/h. On Thursday, the stormy south wind will ease during the day. A moderate northerly wind will blow in the afternoon. Visibility will deteriorate rapidly and there will be widespread light to moderate snowfall, which will intensify in the afternoon. Temperatures at 2000 metres will be around -3 degrees, at 3000 metres around -10 degrees.

The avalanche danger is slowly decreasing on Friday.