Allgäu Alps West

High avalanche danger, increasing natural triggerings as day progresses

High avalanche danger, increasing natural triggerings as day progresses

Avalanche danger above the timberline is high, below that altitude danger is considerable. The fresh snow and wide-ranging snowdrift accumulations are prone to triggering. In classic starting zones they can grow to very large size in some cases, even place exposed transportation routes at risk. Danger zones occur in all aspects, increase with ascending altitude in both size and frequency. Particularly on steep smooth slopes in all aspects, medium-sized glide-snow avalanches are possible below 2400 m.

Heavy snowfall and storm-strength winds at high altitudes are generating fresh snowdrift accumulaations. The old snowpack surface was usually loose, esp. on shady slopess, often covered with surface hoar. On sunny slopes a breakable crust was covered (also stronger crusts). Where the soft layers are blanketed the fresh snow and drifts are prone to triggering. In addition, inside the fresh snow are weak layers near the surface. At intermediate altitudes the snowpack is moist down to the ground. Rain impact and the weight of the fresh snow is reactivating the weak layer problem: increasing gliding snow activity and glide-snow avalanches are the result.

Nocturnal hours: Stormy winds, heavy snowfall, snowfall level 1400 m, dropping to 1000-900 by Friday morning. Friday daytime: Continuing storm and heavy, persistent snowfall, lots of snow is expected above 1200-1500 m. At 2000 m: -2 to -4 degrees. Stormy W/NW winds including stormy gusts of 100 km/hr at high alpine altitudes.

Persistent storm and ongoing, although lesser, snowfall: the situation remains tense.