Graie Alps

Caution is to be exercised on steep north, east and southeast facing slopes.

Caution is to be exercised on steep north, east and southeast facing slopes.

The fresh and somewhat older wind slabs are to be found in particular adjacent to ridgelines and in gullies and bowls and generally at elevated altitudes. They can be released by a single winter sport participant in isolated cases in particular on steep north, east and southeast facing slopes above approximately 2200 m. In particular on very steep slopes the avalanches can be triggered in the various wind slab layers and reach large size in isolated cases. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack are a clear indication of a weakly bonded snowpack. As a consequence of warming during the day and solar radiation moist avalanches are possible below approximately 2500 m. This applies on steep sunny slopes.

The soft wind slabs are poorly bonded with the old snowpack on steep shady slopes. Faceted weak layers exist in the snowpack in particular here. As a consequence of rising temperatures and solar radiation a crust formed on the surface during the last few days. This applies in particular on sunny slopes. Sunshine and high temperatures will give rise as the day progresses to increasing moistening of the snowpack in particular on steep sunny slopes.