Border Graie Alps

Fresh wind slabs at intermediate and high altitudes.

Fresh wind slabs at intermediate and high altitudes.

As a consequence of the sometimes strong wind the wind slabs will increase in size once again. The wind slabs must be evaluated with care and prudence. In isolated cases the dry avalanches are large and can be released by a single winter sport participant, caution is to be exercised in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain, as well as adjacent to ridgelines and in pass areas above approximately 2200 m. Avalanches can penetrate deep layers and reach quite a large size. The avalanche prone locations are sometimes covered with new snow and are barely recognisable because of the poor visibility. This applies in particular along the border with France. The current avalanche situation calls for careful route selection.

20 to 40 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Sunday. Some snow will fall until midday along the border with France. The sometimes strong wind will transport the new snow. Faceted weak layers exist deeper in the old snowpack in particular on shady slopes.