Allgäu Alps West

Wet-snow/glide-snow avalanches due to warmth

Wet-snow/glide-snow avalanches due to warmth

Due to striking rise in temperatures and solar radiation, increasingly frequent wet-snow avalanches can be expected, esp. on sunny slopes but also in shady terrain. Wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches can grow to medium size in starting zones where there is enough snow, releases can grow large. With ascending altitude and in high-alpine regions, small fresh and older snowdrift accumulations are still trigger-prone, now blanketed by the most recent fresh fallen snow and difficult to recognize. Small-to-meidum slab avalanches can be triggered by 1 person. Danger zones behind discontinuities and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Near-surface layers of the old snowpack are triggerable mostly by large additional loading. Backcountry tours require a cautious route selection.

The latest fresh snow and freshly generated snowdrift accumulations were able to consolidate, are now well bonded, but some lie deposited atop soft layers and are prone to triggering with ascending altitude. Below 2200 m the old snowpack is thoroughly moist, wet down to the ground, this reinforces gliding over smooth ground.

Nocturnal hours: heavy cloud cover, mild. Friday daytime: Striking rise in temperatures. zero-degree level ascending to over 3000 m. Quite sunny. At 2000 m: 5-10 degrees. Moderate to brisk SW winds.

Saturday will be quite sunny, even milder. Zero-degree level will rise to 4000 m! Wet-snow avalanches will increase significantly, also glide-snow avalanches will be more frequent.