Allgäu Alps Central

Snowdrifts still triggerable.

Snowdrifts still triggerable.

The avalanche danger remains moderate above 1600m; below it is low. Main problem: the snowdrifts of the last few days. Slab avalanches of medium size can still be triggered by minimum additional loading in places, e.g., by one sole person engaged in wintersports. Avalanche prone locations are found starting from forest transition zones, and in particular at high altitudes on steep W/N/E-facing slopes adjacent to ridgelines and in gullies and bowls filled with wind-transported snow. Size and frequency of avalanche prone locations increase with ascending altitude. In addition, isolated small to medium-sized glide snow avalanches can release spontaneously on steep grass-covered slopes.

Easterly winds contributed to generating small, fresh snowdrift accumulations. In addition, there are older, somewhat more extensive packed snowdrift masses, in particular at higher altitudes. Embedded in these snowdrifts are, in places, trigger-sensitive boundary layers consisting of expansively metamorphosed crystals that were able to form while precipitation paused and surface hoar. In particular on south-facing slopes the layers are increasingly bonding. The old snowpack is wind-impacted and encrusted. At higher altitudes and on shady slopes the snowpack base is very compact. At lower altitudes and on sunny slopes up to half a meter of powdery snow is found directly on the moist ground.

Due to solar radiation and calm weather the avalanche danger will slowly decrease further in the next few days.