Verwall Mountains West

Still weak layers in the old snow on high-altitude shady slopes

Still weak layers in the old snow on high-altitude shady slopes

At high altitudes, considerable avalanche danger still prevails. Avalanche prone locations occur in wind-loaded steep terrain, also distant from ridgelines and particularly behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain, in gullies and bowls. Size and spread of the danger zones increase with ascending altitude. Whumpf noises and glide cracks in the snowpack surface are signals of danger. Also remote triggerings and naturally triggered avalanches are possible. If avalanches fracture down to these layers they can grow to large size. On sunny steep grassy slopes, glide-snow avalanches are possible during the day.

Fresh snow and snowdrifts from the beginning of the week lie deposited atop unfavourable layers, often of surface hoar, melt-freeze crusts or softened layers. Bonding of fresh snow and drifts to these layers and also inside the snowpack itself is frequently poor. At lower and intermediate altitudes the snowpack was able to settle somewhat, and consolidate. On shady slopes and with ascending altitude this process is taking longer, also due to the lower temperatures. On very steep sunny slopes a thin melt-freeze crust has formed on the surface. The snowpack is often still powdery.

Nocturnal hours: clear, dry nighttime skies, and cold. Saturday: temporarily windy, a few clouds in the morning. In the afternoon, sunnier, temperatures rising. At 2000 m: -7 to 0 degrees. Moderate to brisk N/NW winds.

Sunday will be sunny but for a few cirrus clouds. Cold NE winds. Avalanche danger will slowly diminish.