Avalanche forecast

Delicate situation, considerable avalanche danger, in outlying terrain

Delicate situation, considerable avalanche danger, in outlying terrain

Snowdrift accumulations behind protruberances and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls are still prone to triggering. Frequency and size of avalanche prone locations increase with ascending altitude. One sole skier/boarder can trigger a slab avalanche. Activities in backcountry require experience in assessing avalanches on-site and knowledge of the landscape. Glide cracks and whumpf noises are indicators of danger. The inexperienced should not leave the secured ski pistes. At low and intermediate altitudes, particularly on steep grass-covered slopes, isolated glide-snow avalanches are possible. Caution urged below glide cracks.

During the night up to 12 cm of fresh snow was registered, amid often strong-velocity southwesterly winds. Thereby, fresh snowdrift accumulations were generated. The drifts of recent days were able to further settle and consolidate due to rising temperatures. Bonding to the often loose layers of the old snowpack, particularly on shady slopes, and to the loose snow inside the fresh snow or embedded graupel worsens with ascending altitude. Exposed zones are often windblown, gullies and bowls are filled to the brim with drifts. The old snowpack is generally well consolidated and for the most part stable. Weak layers beneath melt-freeze crusts at mid-level of the snowpack are triggerable only seldom. Yesterday, a great many avalanches were triggered, both artificially and by skiers/boarders, some of them were large-sized. This confirms the heightened proneness to triggering of the snowpack. Many naturally triggered avalanches were also observed on steep shady slopes, and loose-snow avalanches in sunny rough or rocky terrain.

In early morning in the Silvretta the snowfall will taper off and end. Later it will be dry and sunny. Visibility will soon be outstanding. Winds will be moderate, feelable only in ridgeline terrain. Temperatures will be wintery. At 2000 m: -5 degrees. Moderate northwesterly winds.

Avalanche danger will recede only slowly to start with. For Sunday night and Monday, heavy snowfall and gale-strength winds are forecast. Thus, avalanche danger will increase next week.