Chiemgau Alps East

Caution also urged toward danger of being swept away by small slab avalanches

Caution also urged toward danger of being swept away by small slab avalanches

Above the timberline avalanche danger in the Allgäu and Bavarian Pre-Alps and the Berchtesgaden Alps is moderate; below that altitude it is low. Fresh snowdrift accumulations are the main problem. Danger zones occur esp. in steep ridgeline terrain on S/W/N facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Fresh snowdrift accumulations can be triggered as mostly small slab avalanches even by minimal additional loading. Size and frequency of avalanche prone locations increase with ascending altitude. Furthermore, isolated small glide snow avalanches can still release and start sliding over steep slopes with smooth ground. Glide cracks are covered, thus, hard to spot.

Easterly winds generate small fresh snowdrift accumulations above the timberline which are deposited atop the dry soft new snow of the most recent precipitation period. Shooting cracks are indicators of slab avalanche danger. Even within the dry snowpack there are in patches superficial intermediate layers. However, these do not have a tendency to widespread fracture propagationThe old snowpack is thoroughly moist, often wet down to the ground. Gliding movements over the ground are thereby enhanced.

Avalanche danger levels will incrementally recede.