Weisseck, Muhr Valley

Daily increase in wet snow avalanche activity

Daily increase in wet snow avalanche activity

The avalanche risk is initially low below around 2400 m and increases to moderate in the morning. Wet slab avalanches or loose snow avalanches can still be triggered by winter sports in a few places in the terrain or can occur spontaneously, in particular from very steep terrain below around 2800 m where there is still a lot of snow. In wet snow, avalanches can tear through to the ground, reach medium size and, if the terrain is unfavourable, advance into the green.

Above around 2400 m, there are still individual avalanche prone locations in the west, north and east aspects, as well as in the southern sector in the high Alps, where slab avalanches can be triggered in persistent weak layers. Take care on the steep transitions from little to lots of snow.

After a clear night, a stable melt-freeze crust has formed over a wide area. Depending on the exposure, this will soften during the morning and lose firmness. In shady high altitudes, the 5 to 15 cm of new fallen snow from the beginning of the week is well settled and often still soft. Adjacent to ridgelines in the high Alps, NW/N winds have pressed the snow or redeposited it as wind slab. The snowpack below consists of compact snow characterised by rain up to high altitudes. On shady slopes above around 2400 metres, there are still weak layers of angular forms and deep rime in the old snowpack close to the ground. Low altitudes and sunny slopes at medium altitudes are mostly snowed out.

Saturday night will be clear. At most, there will be a few thin, high clouds. On Saturday, sunshine will dominate and it will often be cloudless. In the dry air, visibility will be excellent. The north-westerly wind will blow weakly to moderately and reach speeds of around 30 km/h. Temperatures at 2000 m between 3 and 8 degrees, at 3000 m around 0 degrees.

No significant change on Sunday.