Allgäu Alps Central

Above the timberline, caution is urged toward snowdrifts because of increasingly brisk winds. At intermediate altitudes the snowpack is thoroughly wet.

Above the timberline, caution is urged toward snowdrifts because of increasingly brisk winds. At intermediate altitudes the snowpack is thoroughly wet.

Avalanche danger in the Allgäu is moderate. With increasingly brisk winds on Tuesday, small scale fresh snowdrift accumulations are generated which can be triggered by a single skier. Avalanche prone locations are found above the timberline in steep terrain in NW/E/SE aspects as well as in gullies and bowls filled with wind-transported snow. Size and frequency of avalanche prone locations increase with ascending altitude. The avalanches tend to be small. If additionally weak layers that occur in isolated cases on steep shady high altitude slopes are triggered, they can grow to medium size. At intermediate altitudes, additionally mostly small wet snow and glide snow avalanches can release spontaneously in steep rocky terrain, in steep forest aisles or on smooth grass covered slopes with still sufficient snow, where now avalanches have yet discharged.

Stormy westerly winds with low amounts of precipitation will generate small scale trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations on Tuesday. These are deposited atop hard wind crusts or melt-freeze crusts; at high altitude partly also atop a few centimeters of loose snow. On shady slopes, layers consisting of expansively metamorphosed (faceted) poorly bonded crystals are found locally underneath wind or melt-freeze crusts. Faceted crystals partly also still persist close to ground level on shady slopes above 2200m. Below 1500m the distinctive layering within the snowpack with crusts alternating with soft snow layers has mostly disappeared due to the massive penetration of water in the last few days. The snowpack is moist to wet down to ground layers; gliding movements of the snow masses cannot be excluded. Skies are only clear in places during the night, therefore, only a thin melt-freeze crust can form.

Strong rain up to high altitude is forecast by mid-week. Avalanche danger will increase further.