Wind slab
- Above 2,200 m
Caution: small-scale snowdrifts. Danger of falling outweighs that of being buried in snow masses.
Caution: small-scale snowdrifts. Danger of falling outweighs that of being buried in snow masses.
Avalanche danger is moderate above 2200m, below that altitude danger is low. Snowdrifts are the main problem. Slab avalanches that are mostly small can be triggered by minimum additional loading. Avalanche prone locations are found in steep ridgeline terrain in NW-E-SE aspects and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. The frequency of avalanche prone locations increases with ascending altitude.
On the shady side the snowpack surface is powdery. In ridgeline terrain, small-scale snowdrifts will accumulate during the course of the day which will partly be deposited atop loose snow layers. The snowdrifts are prone to triggering. At high altitudes there are still layers consisting of faceted crystals more deeply embedded in the snowpack close to crusts. However, these are now very unlikely to trigger. At intermediate altitudes the old snowpack is thoroughly moist, wet at the ground in places.
Weak layers near the drifts will consolidate. Avalanche danger levels will recede slowly.
Bulletin data: Avalanche Warning Service Bavaria (CC BY 4.0)