Allgäu Alps West

Rising avalanche danger due to fresh snow and drifts

Rising avalanche danger due to fresh snow and drifts

Fresh and older snowdrift accumulations are often triggerable above the treeline on shady slopes by one sole skier and then possibly growing to medium size. Older danger zones often difficult to recognize when blanketed with fresh snow. In isolated cases, small slab avalanches can be triggered on high-altitude extremely steep shady slopes also in the old snow, usually by large additional loading and where the snow is shallow.

Up to 10-15 cm of fresh snow is expected, locally up to 20 cm. At high altitudes it will often be transported. The fresh snow and drifts will be deposited esp. on steep shady slopes atop soft layers and are prone to triggering. On encrusted and moistened sunny slopes the fresh snow will bond better. All in allm, the old snowpack is well consolidated. At lower altitudes the fresh snow will fall on bare ground.

As a result of southerly foehn wind it will remain dry until after midnight before rainfall and snowfall spread over the entire land. The snowfall level in early morning will lie at 1100-1300m. On Sunday, some snowfall until midday, then clouds will disperse. At 2000m: -3 degrees at midday. Strong SW winds to start with, later shifting to westerly.

Due to foehn wind on Monday, additional snowdrifts will accumulate, avalanche danger levels increase.