Allgäu Alps Central

Beware of prone to triggering wind slab.

Beware of prone to triggering wind slab.

The avalanche risk is considerable above the tree line and low below it. The main problem is wind slab avalanches. Slab avalanches can easily be triggered by individual winter sports enthusiasts. Avalanche prone locations are particularly adjacent to ridgelines on steep slopes with aspects ranging from north-west to north to south, as well as in gullies and bowls. They increase in number and size with altitude. Avalanches reach medium size. Above 1800 m, avalanches on very steep shady slopes can also tear through to deeper weak layers in the old snowpack.

Fresh and older wind slab snow often lies on graupel, surface hoar or thin wind and melt-freeze crusts that are prone to triggering. The connection to the old snowpack deteriorates with altitude. In addition, weak intermediate layers are embedded within the wind slab that have formed during breaks in precipitation. Some of the wind slab is soft and difficult to recognise. Above 1800 metres, there are still some deeper weak layers of faceted crystals in the snowpack. On the south side, there is no old snowpack up to high altitudes. At lower elevations, the old snowpack is damp or wet.

With storms and new fallen snow at the beginning of the week, the avalanche situation remains tense.