Karwendel Mountains West

Fresh wind slabs represent the main danger. Gliding snow requires caution.

Fresh wind slabs represent the main danger. Gliding snow requires caution.

As a consequence of snowfall and the moderate westerly wind, fresh snow drift accumulations will form. These are to be assessed critically. Single winter sport participants can release avalanches easily. Shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack serve as an alarm indicating the danger. An appreciable danger of gliding avalanches exists. This applies on steep grassy slopes below approximately 2400 m. Weak layers in the old snowpack can be released especially by large additional loads in particular at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack, when entering gullies and bowls for example. This applies on very steep slopes above approximately 2200 m. Avalanches can reach large size.

As a consequence of mild temperatures the snow drift accumulations stabilised during the last few days. Over a wide area 10 to 20 cm of snow will fall above approximately 1500 m. As a consequence of a moderate wind from westerly directions, sometimes avalanche prone wind slabs will form. These are lying on soft layers in all aspects at high altitudes and in high Alpine regions. Faceted weak layers exist in the centre of the snowpack in particular above approximately 2200 m. The rain gave rise to thorough wetting of the snowpack in particular at low and intermediate altitudes.

Some snow will fall over a wide area. The avalanche danger will persist.