Allgäu Alps Central

Wet slab-, loose-snow and glide-snow avalanches expected

Wet slab-, loose-snow and glide-snow avalanches expected

Avalanche danger in the Allgäu Alps is considerable. Main problem: naturally triggering wet snow and slab avalanches on steep slopes in all aspects. Also gliding snow activity on smooth grass-covered slopes and in forest lanes are increasing. In isolated cases, releases can reach large size and place exposed transportation routes at risk. In addition, snowdrifts are a problem at high altitudes. Danger zones are numerous, occur in steep ridgeline terrain in all aspects, behind discontinuities and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Snowdrift accumulations can be triggered as slab avalanches by one sole person and reach medium size.

Rising temperatures and intermittent rainfall will make the surface wet, the moisture will seep deep into the snowpoack, leading to a loss of firmness and instability of loose snow. In additional the water can remain stored on the the melt-freeze crusts and destabilize further the weak layers, gliding snow masses are the result. Huge temperature disparities (cold on warm) at high altitudes are creating trigger-prone weak layers in the uppermost part of the snowpack at high altitudes. On Thursday the snowfall level will gradually descend, fresh trigger-prone snowdrifts will be generated.

Wet-snow avalanche danger will slowly recede over the next few days as temperatures drop. At high altitudes, fresh snowdrift accumulations will be generated.