Avalanche forecast

Main danger: fresh+older snowdrifts. Still isolated glide-snow avalanches.

Main danger: fresh+older snowdrifts. Still isolated glide-snow avalanches.

Fresh and often blanketed snowdrift accumulations are prone to triggering. Avalanche prone locations are found especially in steep ridgeline terrain, wind-loaded gullies and bowls. They increase in spread and frequency with ascending altitude. Small-to-medium slab avalanches can be triggered even by one single winter sports enthusiast. At intermediate altitudes on smooth grassy slopes and forest clearances which have not yet discharged, glide-snow avalanches are possible at any time of day or night. Caution below glide cracks.

By early morning there was 5 cm, locally up to 10 cm of fresh snow, particularly in high-altitude ridgeline terrain it was transported, the deposits now blanket fresh and older snowdrifts of recent days or even soft layers. In some places surface hoar was blanketed. Bonding to it (and also inside the old snowpack itself) is generally good, but worsens with ascending altitude. At intermediate altitudes the snowpack is thoroughly wet down to the ground. At low altitudes and on sunny slopes the snowfall was often deposited on bare, warm ground.

Visibility will swiftly become diffuse, some light snowfall is expected, but the peaks will remain free. This afternoon clouds will disperse briefly before closing in again from the west. Temperature at 2000 m: -9 to -6 degrees. Brisk (often strong-velocity gusts) winds at high altitudes.

Snowfall tonight particularly in the northern regions. Brisk westerly winds will transport the fresh snow and generate new snowdrift accumulations. Sunday will bring more snowfall. It will remain cold. Avalanche danger will increase at high altitudes in some regions.