Chiemgau Alps East

Wind slabs are prone to triggering at all altitudes.

Wind slabs are prone to triggering at all altitudes.

The avalanche risk is considerable above 1600 metres and moderate below that. The main problem is wind slab avalanches. Slab avalanches can easily be triggered by individual winter sports enthusiasts. Avalanche prone locations are adjacent to ridgelines and distant from ridgelines on steep slopes of all aspects, behind slope discontinuities and in gullies and bowls, as well as in forest aisles and clearings. They increase in number and size with altitude. Avalanches reach medium size. Cracks in the snowpack indicate danger. Above 1800 m, avalanches on very steep shady slopes can also tear through to deeper weak layers in the old snowpack and occasionally become large in the high areas of the Werdenfels.

Small to medium-sized loose snow avalanches can detach themselves from the steep terrain interspersed with rocks in the areas rich in fresh snow.

Stormy winds and fresh snowfall are causing the snowdrift accumulations to continue to grow. Some of the fresh and older snowdrift accumulations are extensive and very prone to triggering. They lie on soft layers of snow or surface hoar. In the upper part of the old snowpack, thin wind and melt-freeze crusts are prone to triggering in places. Above 1800 m, on shady slopes, there are deeper weak layers of faceted crystals in the snowpack. The snow depths vary greatly across the terrain due to the strong winds.

The avalanche situation remains tense.