Rätikon West

Fresh snow/drifts and increasing glide-snow avalanches

Fresh snow/drifts and increasing glide-snow avalanches

Fresh snow and drifts can trigger a medium slab or loose-snow avalanche by 1 person. Frequency and size of danger zones increase with ascending altitude. In case of extended bright intervals, medium-sized loose-snow avalanches are possible, possibly endangering exposed zones. Activities in outlying terrain demand experience in assessing avalanche dangers on-site. Isolated glide-snow avalanches are possible. Increasing glide-snow avalanches on smooth grass-covered slopes which previously were bare. Avoid zones below glide cracks.

Fresh snow and drifts from previous days have settled and slightly consolidated, esp. at intermediate altitudes, it will take longer in high alpine terrain. A further 10 cm of fresh snow, intermittently transported by moderate winds, generated new snowdrift accumulations which now lie deposited atop soft layers where weak layers are embedded. Tonight only a bit of snowfall and little wind. The snowpack is moist-to-wet down to the ground up to high altitudes. Because ski areas are closed there is little information about snowpack layering at high altitudes. The fresh snow at lower altitudes often lies deposited atop what was previously bare ground, reinforcing gliding movement of the snowpack.

Nocturnal hours: Clouds will disperse, skies will be cold and clear. Friday daytime: Following clear skies to start with, compact cloudbanks will move in, shading the sun. In afternoon, convective cloud build-up. At 2000 m: -3 to +2 degrees. Moderate (stronger in foehn lanes) southwesterly winds.

Due to higher temperatures and solar radiation, avalanche danger will increase significantly during the course of the day. Wet-snow/glide-snow avalanches will be more frequent.