Werdenfels Alps

Snowdrift problem at high altitude; glide snow problem at intermediate altitude.

Snowdrift problem at high altitude; glide snow problem at intermediate altitude.

Avalanche danger above 2000 m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. The main problem at high altitude stems from fresh snowdrifts which can be triggered as slab avalanches even by minimum additional loading. Avalanche prone locations are found in steep terrain adjacent to and distant from ridgelines in all aspects, in wind-loaded gullies and bowls and behind protuberances in the terrain. Dry slab avalanches can reach medium size. At intermediate altitude there is still the danger of naturally triggering glide snow avalanches. Where there is still enough snow the snowpack can start gliding over the ground at any time. Glide cracks are indicators of such avalanche prone locations. However, they are being blanketed by fresh snow and are therefore difficult to detect. Glide snow avalanches tend to be small-sized.

At intermediate altitude the snowpack is in most places completely wet. With slowly dropping temperatures it stabilizes superficially. Fresh snowdrifts are generated at high altitudes which can be prone to triggering if deposited atop soft layers. Below 1500 m there is hardly any snow left.

Due to the forecast considerably cooler weather the glide snow danger will slowly recede.