Chiemgau Alps East

Snowdrifts easily triggerable! Caution: Daytime avalanche danger cycle with naturally releasing loose snow avalanches!

Snowdrifts easily triggerable! Caution: Daytime avalanche danger cycle with naturally releasing loose snow avalanches!

Avalanche danger above 1800 m is considerable; below that altitude it is moderate. Main problem: fresh snowdrifts which  can be triggered as slab avalanches by a single person engaged in snow sports. Avalanche prone locations are found primarily in steep ridgeline terrain in all aspects, but also behind abrupt changes in terrain as well as in freshly wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Avalanches can grow to dangerously large size. Size and frequency of avalanche prone locations increase with ascending altitude.On Tuesday the new snow will start settling due to incoming solar radiation and less frost. At intermediate altitude the danger of naturally triggering loose snow avalanches in steep rocky terrain and on sun-exposed slopes with wind transported snow increases during the course of the day. Avalanches are mostly medium-sized.

Since Monday the Bavarian Alps have seen between 30 and 50 cm of new snow. At higher altitudes, heavy northerly winds lead to the generation of extensive snowdrift accumulations. Snowdrifts are prone to triggering due to weak intermediate layers that formed during the interims of precipitation or because of embedded graupel. Another 10 to 20 cm of new snow without any wind to speak of are expected for Monday night. The new snow will blanket the fresh snowdrifts and make them difficult to recognize. In addition, major temperature variations within the snowpack promote the formation of weak intermediate layers consisting of faceted crystals. These are prone to triggering, in particular at higher altitudes. In the valleys and at intermediate altitudes the new snow is deposited atop a mostly shallow moist old snowpack or directly on the bare ground.

The next few days will be spring-like with mild temperatures. Rainfall up to high altitudes during Tuesday night. The avalanche avalanche danger remains tense.