Vicentine Prealps

Wind slabs and weakly bonded old snow represent the main danger.

Wind slabs and weakly bonded old snow represent the main danger.

Weak layers in the old snowpack can be released by individual winter sport participants. The avalanche prone locations are to be found on steep shady slopes above the tree line and on steep sunny slopes above approximately 1900 m. These places are difficult to recognise. Avalanches can be released in deep layers of the snowpack and reach large size in isolated cases. This applies in particular on very steep shady slopes in high Alpine regions. Caution is to be exercised at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack. The fresh and older wind slabs are in some cases prone to triggering. On steep grassy slopes and at low and intermediate altitudes more gliding avalanches are possible, but they will be mostly small.

The snowpack will be subject to considerable local variations. Faceted weak layers exist in the bottom section of the snowpack at elevated altitudes. Faceted weak layers exist in the top section of the snowpack especially on shady slopes. Fresh wind slabs are lying on soft layers in particular on shady slopes at elevated altitudes.