Tennen Mountains, Gosaukamm

Snowdrift accumulations prone to triggering at high altitudes

Snowdrift accumulations prone to triggering at high altitudes

Avalanche danger above 2000m is CONSIDERABLE, below that altitude danger is LOW. Fresh snow and brisk N/NW winds are generating fresh, trigger-sensitive snowdrifts. A slab is generally small, but can be easily triggered. Danger zones are generally on E/S facing slopes, both near ridgelines and distant from them. Snowdrifts from the beginning of the week can generally be triggered only by large additional loading or in extremely steep gullies by minimum additional loading, particularly in high alpine regions. Due to the unfavourable snowpack layering, superficial triggerings can fracture down to more deeply embedded layers inside the snowpack and grow to dangerously large size.

In very steep terrain, small loose-snow avalanches are likely.

Atop a rather shallow, often unfavourably layered old snowpack (ground-level layers are expansively metamorphosed, atop of which are melt-freeze crusts/icy sheets and just beneath the surface hoar is embedded) lies a loose layer of powder which has not been wind-impacted. Bonding of drifts and fresh snow deteriorates with ascending altitude. The old snowpack itself is unfavourably layered. At ground-level there are expansively metamorphosed (faceted) crystals and breakable melt-freeze crusts.

On Friday evening, snowfall of varying intensity, accumulating measurably by Saturday evening (30-40 cm possible). On Saturday the peaks will be wreathed in heavy cloud. Winds will be light to moderate. At 2000 m: -13 degrees, at 3000 m: -18 degrees.

Considerable snowdrift problem on Sunday at elevated altitudes.