Boletín de aludes

Glide-snow and unfolding wet-snow avalanches on steep sunny slopes

Glide-snow and unfolding wet-snow avalanches on steep sunny slopes

Below 2200m in all aspects medium-sized (isolated large-sized) glide-snow avalanches are possible. Caution on slopes with glide cracks. Due to solar radiation and daytime warming, wet slides and avalanches can release on sunny slopes in particular. In terrain not directly in sunshine the snowpack remains hard: risk of taking a fall.

The snowpack shows the effects of rain and wind from the last few days. Up to 2200m it is thoroughly wet, up to high altitudes it is encrusted or iced over. Due to the dryness of the air, the snowpack surface softens little on sunny slopes, in the other aspects it remains hard and dry, thus reducing avalanche activity to a minimum yesterday.

The high-pressure front is weakening, during the day today high and intermediate level cloudbanks will pass through, but still permit some sunshine. Westerly winds will intensify, temperatures will begin to drop, but it will initially remain dry. Temperature at 2000 m: sinking from 8 to 4 degrees. Westerly winds at high altitude, moderate to start with, stronger later on.

Due to a powerful westerly air current, moist air masses will accumulate on the northern flank of the Alps on Monday. In the morning, clouds will dominate, a bit of rainfall (snowfall above 1500-1900 m, depending on wind impact). Avalanche danger could increase somewhat.