Allgäu Alps Central

At high altitude the avalanche situation is tense.

At high altitude the avalanche situation is tense.

Avalanche danger above 2000m is considerable, danger below that altitude is moderate. Main problem: fresh snowdrifts. Avalanche prone locations are found adjacent to and distant from ridgelines on steep slopes in all aspects, behind terrain protuberances as well as in gullies and bowls filled with snowdrift deposits. Slab avalanches can be triggered even by minimum additional loading of a single skier. Larger-sized slab avalanches can be expected, if avalanches fracture down to more deeply embedded weak layers in the old snowpack. This is possible in isolated cases at high altitude. Possibility of spontaneously releasing glide snow avalanches on smooth steep grass-covered slopes at intermediate altitudes. In particular around glide cracks avalanches can be expected at any time. Glide-snow avalanches can reach medium size.

The new snow that will fall as the cold front passes will be transported widespread by stormy westerly wind and deposited in wind-protected zones. At higher altitudes the snow is deposited atop an inconsistent, mostly encrusted surface with which it can only bond poorly. The proneness to triggering of the snowdrift accumulations increases with ascending altitude. Additionally, locally faceted crystals persist in the old snowpack underneath a more deeply embedded melt-freeze crust. At intermediate altitudes the snowpack is in many places thoroughly moist. It is often wet down to the ground which promotes gliding of the snow masses

Weather conditions will remain variable. No significant change is expected in avalanche danger levels.