Rhemes Valley

Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for extensive experience in the assessment of avalanche danger and restraint. Increase in danger of dry and moist avalanches as a consequence of warming during the day and solar radiation.

Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for extensive experience in the assessment of avalanche danger and restraint. Increase in danger of dry and moist avalanches as a consequence of warming during the day and solar radiation.

As a consequence of new snow and a sometimes moderate wind from southeasterly directions, soft wind slabs formed on Sunday in particular above approximately 2500 m. The new snow and wind slabs are lying on the unfavourable surface of an old snowpack in particular on shady slopes. They remain for the foreseeable future prone to triggering. In particular above approximately 2300 m the avalanche prone locations are more prevalent. The wind slabs are covered with new snow and therefore barely recognisable. The avalanches can be released by a single winter sport participant, in particular at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack, when entering gullies and bowls for example. Whumpfing sounds and field observations confirm an unfavourable avalanche situation on steep slopes. In particular at the base of rock walls and behind abrupt changes in the terrain medium-sized and, in isolated cases, large dry and moist avalanches are possible. As a consequence of solar radiation, the avalanche activity will gradually increase.

30 to 60 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, fell in the last seven days above approximately 2300 m. In particular along the border with France, along the border between Valais and Italy 25 to 40 cm of snow fell on Sunday above approximately 2700 m. The high humditiy gave rise to moistening of the snowpack in all aspects below approximately 2500 m. Monday: A clear night will be followed in the early morning by sometimes favourable conditions generally, but the avalanche danger will increase later. The surface of the snowpack will freeze, but a strong crust will not form will soften during the day. The new snow and wind slabs are lying on a crust on steep sunny slopes. In shady places that are protected from the wind above approximately 2300 m: The new snow is lying on the unfavourable surface of an old snowpack. In particular at intermediate altitudes less snow than usual is lying. On sunny slopes below approximately 2200 m hardly any snow is lying.

The avalanche danger will persist.