Rätikon West

Fresh snowdrifts: caution.

Fresh snowdrifts: caution.

Avalanche danger above 2200 m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Mostly small snowdrift accumulations are often trigger-prone at high altitudes. Danger zones occur near ridges on NW/N/SE facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. In addition, there are weak layers in the uppermost level of the snowpack at high altitudes, prone to triggering, esp. in transitions from shallow to deeper snow or on heavily wind-loaded slopes. Avalanches can be triggered by large additional loading and grow to medium size. Backcountry sports require prudent route selection. Caution urged near cornices. Glide-snow avalanches are still a threat on steep grass-covered and rocky slopes in all aspects, avoid zones below glide cracks.

The NW airstream is transporting the small amount of loose snow, generating small snowdrift accumulations which are sometimes prone to triggering. Weak layers occur where there is loose old snow and inside the latest snowdrift accumulations. In the uppermost layers are isolated weak layers which are prone to triggering. As a result of solar radiation and generally higher temperatures, the surface is moist. The warm ground and the moist-to-wet snowpack are reinforcing gliding snow movement.

Nocturnal hours: Scattered clouds, some heavier cloud cover moving in fron the north. Sunday daytime: High-pressure conditions, NW airstream, radiant sunshine, rising temperatures. At 2000 m: +3 degrees. Brisk to strong NW winds.

On Monday the powerful NW airstream will persist, very mild, the danger of dry-snow avalanches will continue to diminish, the gliding snow problem will persist.