Werdenfels Alps

Snowdrifts prone to triggering!

Snowdrifts prone to triggering!

Avalanche danger above 1500 m is considerable; below that altitude it is low. Main problem: fresh snowdrifts. In particular in steep ridgeline terrain in N/W/S aspects as well as in wind-loaded gullies and bowls, but also distant from ridgelines below abrupt changes in terrin, medium-sized (in isolated cases large) slab avalanches can be triggered even by minimum additional loading such as the weight of a single skier. Size and frequency of avalanche prone locations increase with ascending altitude and are difficult to detect when blanketed by new snow. In addition, dry loose snow avalanches can trigger naturally in extremely steep terrain in isolated places, or glide snow avalanches can trigger naturally on steep slopes on smooth ground. The avalanches are mostly small.

Up to 80 cm of loose new snow of the weekend are impacted by heavy easterly winds, in particular during Sunday night, thus generating fresh trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations which are in some places rather large. During the precipitation phase on the weekend and northwesterly wind snowdrift layers formed and were blanketed by new snow. Snowpack analyses prove no marked tendency to fracture propagation. The base of the old snowpack is stable and moist up to high intermediate altitudes; at the ground it is often even wet. In lower lying areas and at higher altitudes in south aspects the new snow of the weekend was deposited on the previously bare ground.

Rise of number of spontaneously releasing avalanches due to warmer temperatures and sunshine.