Border Graie Alps

The fresh snow and the deep wind slabs can be released easily.

The fresh snow and the deep wind slabs can be released easily.

The fresh snow and the sometimes deep wind slabs can be released easily, even by a single winter sport participant, at intermediate and high altitudes. In the regions exposed to heavier precipitation and on wind-loaded slopes the wind slabs are larger. As a consequence of new snow and wind the prevalence and size of the avalanche prone locations will increase in the afternoon. On steep shady slopes the avalanches can be triggered in the faceted old snow and reach large size in isolated cases. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack are a clear indication.

Over a wide area 20 to 40 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Monday above approximately 2000 m. In some localities up to 20 cm of snow will fall from midday. More recent wind slabs have formed in particular at high altitudes and in high Alpine regions. Weak layers exist deep in the snowpack in particular on steep shady slopes.