Allgäu Alps Central

Isolated glide-snow avalanches can grow large. Cornices becoming more dangerous.

Isolated glide-snow avalanches can grow large. Cornices becoming more dangerous.

Avalanche danger above 1600 m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Wet snow is the main problem: in extremely steep terrain, esp. on sunny slopes, small-to-medium loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally. On steep smooth slopes which have not yet discharged, moreover, isolated small glide-snow avalnches are possible in all aspects. At high altitudes, snowdrifts can be problematic. Danger zones where slabs of medium size can trigger by large additional loading occur on steep north-facing slopes. The drifted masses are easy to recognize.

Sahara dust and high-altitude clouds hamper nocturnal outgoing longwave radiation. A melt-freeze crust capable of bearing loads cannot form. Only at high altitudes is there still some dry, wind-compacted snow on the surface where drifts can be deposited atop soft layers. Mostly the snowpack is stable, thoroughly moist, wet at ground level. As the day progresses the melt-freeze crust thaws due to sun and warmth and the moistening process continues.

As temperatures drop on Monday, danger of wet-snow avalanches will recede