Maira and Grana Valleys

The new snow and wind slabs of yesterday must be evaluated with care and prudence.

The new snow and wind slabs of yesterday must be evaluated with care and prudence.

Over a wide area 30 to 40 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, fell yesterday above approximately 1800 m. The fresh snow and the wind slabs formed by the northeasterly wind are poorly bonded with the old snowpack in some places in particular on steep sunny slopes and at low and intermediate altitudes. These can be released, even by a single winter sport participant and reach medium size. Steep slopes are to be evaluated with care and prudence. The avalanches can occur even at intermediate altitudes. In particular on very steep sunny slopes and in starting zones where no previous releases have taken place small and medium-sized gliding avalanches and moist snow slides are possible as a consequence of warming during the day.

As a consequence of northeasterly wind, soft wind slabs formed. The large quantity of fresh snow as well as the wind slabs are bonding poorly with the old snowpack in some places in particular on steep sunny slopes. The upper section of the snowpack is dry; its surface consists of loosely bonded snow. The solar radiation will give rise as the day progresses to increasing consolidation of the snowpack in particular on steep sunny slopes. This situation will give rise to moistening of the snowpack at low altitude.