Goldberg Group Central

Rapid decreasing firmness with exposure to sunlight

Rapid decreasing firmness with exposure to sunlight

The avalanche risk is moderate. In a few places, spontaneous or artificially triggered wet loose snow avalanches are possible, in particular from very steep terrain below around 2600 metres where there is still snow on the ground. In wet snow, avalanches can tear through to the ground, reach medium size and, if the terrain is unfavourable, advance into the green.

Above around 2400 m, there are still individual avalanche prone locations in the west and north-east aspects, as well as in the southern sector in the high Alps, where slab avalanches can be triggered in persistent weak layers. Take care on the steep transitions from little to lots of snow.

Limited outgoing longwave radiation at night limits the surface cold reserve. Above around 2200 m there is 5 to 15 cm of settled new fallen snow. The snowpack below consists of compact snow that is characterised by rain up to high altitudes. Softer layers are embedded, especially in the higher altitudes, which allow breaks near the surface. On shady slopes from around 2400 metres, there are still weak layers of angular forms and deep rime in the old snowpack close to the ground. Low altitudes and sunny slopes at medium altitudes are mostly snowed out.

In the night to Wednesday, clouds will initially predominate up to medium altitudes and it will only become partly soft after midnight. During the day, however, the sun will quickly prevail. Cold north/northeasterly winds will pick up and reach gusts of around 40 km/h. At 2000 m -5 to -1 degrees, at 3000 m -11 to -8 degrees.

After a clear night, daytime changes in wet avalanche activity on Thursday.