Goldberg Group Central

Fresh snow and drifts prone to triggering. Persistent weak layer at high altitude.

Fresh snow and drifts prone to triggering. Persistent weak layer at high altitude.

Avalanche danger above 2400 m is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is LOW. Dry-snow slab avalanches can be triggered by one sole skier and grow to large size. Danger zones lie on very steep (>35°) shady slopes (NW/N/NE) above 2400 m. They are difficult to recognize on-site. Caution urged in transitions from shallow to deep snow and in general where the snow is shallow. Amid moderate winds, fresh snowdrift accumulations have been generated in ridgeline terrain and summit zones. They are mostly small, but on N/E facing slopes above 2400 m prone to triggering. Likelihood of triggering and size of danger zones increase with ascending altitude. Caution urged in places which are prone to forcing a fall. In addition, intermittent solar radiation and moist air makes small loose-snow avalanches possible on extremely steep (>40) slopes. In isolated cases small and medium glide-snow avalanches are possible in all aspects on steep grassy slopes.

Above 1800 m there was 5-15 cm of snowfall by Monday morning, amid moderate to strong winds which transported the fresh snow. On Tuesday, an additional 5-15 cm will be added to it. Small snowdrift accumulations are being deposited on shady slopes atop a soft unfavorable snowpack surface where they are prone to triggering. In other aspects and further down, the snow has become wetter or is deposited atop a soft unfavorable snowpack surface, below 2400 m the snowpack is often wet down to the ground. Below 1600 m there is hardly any snow on the ground.

On Tuesday, again unfavorable backcountry touring conditions, dense clouds, snow showers above 1200-1500 m, brief thunderstorms possible. Dry phases possible in the morning. Winds light to moderate from W/NW. At 2000 m: -3 or -2 degrees; at 3000 m: -10 or -9 degrees.

Wednesday: snowdrift accumulations remain prone to triggering esp. on shady slopes. Amid milder temperatures and intermittent sunshine, wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches possible.