Border Pennine Alps

The sometimes large wind slabs of the weekend must be evaluated with care and prudence.

The sometimes large wind slabs of the weekend must be evaluated with care and prudence.

In the last few days sometimes large wind slabs formed. In the regions exposed to a lot of new snow caution is to be exercised in particular. The new snow and wind slabs can be released by a single winter sport participant above approximately 2200 m, in particular on steep slopes. At intermediate and high altitudes the avalanche prone locations are more prevalent, caution is to be exercised in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain. Avalanches can also be triggered in the old snowpack and reach large size in isolated cases. This applies in particular on shady slopes adjacent to ridgelines.

As a consequence of snowfall and the moderate to strong northwesterly wind, snow drift accumulations formed at the weekend. In some cases the wind slabs have bonded poorly with the old snowpack. Adjacent to ridgelines and in pass areas as well as in high Alpine regions snow depths vary greatly, depending on the infuence of the wind. Individual weak layers exist in the snowpack, especially on shady slopes above approximately 2400 m.