Chiemgau Alps East

Increasng sink-in depths are red flags of wet-snow avalanche danger

It is getting milder by the day. Typical springtime conditions: due to daytime increase in avalanche danger, begin backcountry tours early, end them early.

Increasng sink-in depths are red flags of wet-snow avalanche danger

Avalanche danger during the day increases from low to moderate. The prevailing problem is wet snow. Danger zones occur particularly on sunny, rocky, steep slopes. During the course of the day, small-to-medium sized wet loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally or be triggered by skiers. On steep grass-covered slopes and in sparsely wooded zones, in addition, glide-snow avalanches sliding over the smooth ground is possible. This is particularly the case in the Allgäu and in general during the afternnoon. Glide-snow avalanches can grow to large size in isolated cases.

In early morning the snowpack has a crust which is capable of bearing loads, is by and large stable, before the springlike temperatures on sunny slopes transform it to firn snow. Thereafter, the snowpack forfeits its firmness and its bonding. At ground level it is already wet up to high altitudes, which enhances gliding movement of the entire snowpack. Snow depths are below average for this juncture of the season, on sunny slopes there is no snow on the ground up to 1400 m.