Tennen Mountains, Gosaukamm

Fresh, prone to triggering wind slab and weak persistent weak layer at altitude

Fresh, prone to triggering wind slab and weak persistent weak layer at altitude

The avalanche risk is moderate above 1800 metres and low below. Medium-sized slab avalanches can be triggered by individuals in some places, especially on north-west to north to south-east facing slopes. This applies to both drift and persistent weak layers. Surface-triggered avalanches can tear through to deeper layers. Danger areas increase with altitude, some of them are barely recognisable and require a defensive choice of route. Take particular care near transitions from little to much snow, behind terrain edges and in the entrance areas to steep gullies and bowls. Cracks when stepping on the snowpack indicate danger.

During the night to Sunday, 10 to 15 cm of new fallen snow fell on a small-scale surface. Fresh and older, over-snowed wind slabs overlay soft layers of faceted crystals and deep frost. In wind-protected, shady areas above around 2000 m, surface hoar has also been snowed in to some extent. Fractures occur either in soft layers near the surface or around the crust that forms the transition to the completely angular old snowpack. In general, areas with little snow alternate with sometimes considerable snowdrift accumulations in a confined space with overall snow depths that are well below average.

A cold front moves through during the night. It snows heavily in the first half of the night, but the snowfall decreases in the second half of the night. The amount of new snow is 10 to 15 cm. The north-westerly wind will pick up briskly. On Sunday, visibility will be limited by clouds and fog in the morning. It may also snow a little. Visibility will improve significantly from the south-west from midday and the afternoon will bring widespread good visibility and sunshine. Clouds and fog will linger longer on the Hochkönig and Tennengebirge. At 2000 metres around -10 degrees, at 3000 metres around -14 degrees. A north-westerly wind will blow, easing towards the evening.

The wind picks up and fresh snowdrift accumulations continue to form. The persistent weak layer problem remains.