Allgäu Alps Central

Glide-snow avalanches (medium-sized) possible on steep grass-covered slopes

Glide-snow avalanches (medium-sized) possible on steep grass-covered slopes

Avalanche danger on the Allgäu Main Ridge is moderate above 1600 m, below that altitude danger is low. Main problem: fresh, small snowdrift accumulations which can trigger by 1 person. Danger zones occur in steep ridgeline terrain in NW/N/NE aspects and increase in both frequency and in size with ascending altitude. Released slabs mostly small-sized. Gliding snow is also a problem. On very steep smooth sloppes, medium-sized glide snow avalanches can trigger naturally in all aspects. Avoid zones below glide cracks. Also wet snow is a problem in some places. Small wet loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally in extremely steep rough and rocky terrain in all aspects. In all aspects, small, moist and wet loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally.

At night a melt-freeze crust will form. At lower altitudes the snowpack is thoroughly moist. Above 1500 m on shady slopes there is still powder. Here small snowdrift accumulations can be generated by S/W winds which will be deposited atop loose powder or surface hoar, in either case prone to triggering. The snowpack base is wet up to intermediate altitudes. At the border from last week’s snowfall to the old snowpack base there is a weak layer below a thin melt-freeze crust at high altitudes on shady slopes. Increasing cloud cover and warm temperatures are making the snowpack wetter also on shady slopes. Little or now snow on the ground well into intermediate altitudes.

Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly.