Border Graie Alps

New snow and wind slabs represent the main danger.

New snow and wind slabs represent the main danger.

Along the border with Switzerland and adjacent to ridgelines the avalanche danger is one level higher. In the last two days sometimes large wind slabs formed especially adjacent to ridgelines and in gullies and bowls as well as at high altitude. These can be released, even by small loads in isolated cases, especially on wind-loaded slopes. Even a small avalanche can sweep people along and give rise to falls. As a consequence of solar radiation small and medium-sized dry and moist avalanches are possible. This applies in particular on rocky sunny slopes.

Over a wide area up to 30 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Sunday above approximately 2000 m. The moderate wind has transported the new snow. In some cases the wind slabs have bonded poorly with each other and the old snowpack. The old snowpack is well consolidated and its surface consists of loosely bonded snow lying on a resilient melt-freeze crust. Above approximately 2100 m a lot of snow is lying.