Allgäu Alps Central

Caution in zones where there are glide cracks!

Caution in zones where there are glide cracks!

Moderate avalanche danger prevails in the Bavarian Alps. Wet-snow is the main problem. Medium-sized avalanches can trigger naturally, particularly in steep rocky terrain and on smooth grass-covered slopes where there is sufficient snow and no avalanches have yet discharged. Wet glide-snow and loose-snow avalanches can trigger at any time of day or night, although the problem recedes somewhat during the daytime.In addition, snowdrift accumulations require caution. Avalanche prone locations are found above 2000 m in steep ridgeline terrain in NW/E/SE aspects and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Slab avalanches can be triggered even by the additional loading of one single skier and easily cause a fall. On steep shady slopes above 2300 m, triggered avalanches can grow to medium size, particularly when the lower-down layers of the snowpack are also released.

Water which is seeping into the snowpack at intermediate altitudes as a result of warm temperatures, rain and a lack of nocturnal outgoing radiation, is weakening the snowpack, particularly where water has already seeped through glide cracks. At high altitudes on Friday and during the night, small snowdrift accumulations were generated and will continue to do so. They were deposited atop an old snowpack surface which manifests a highly irregular melt-freeze crust. Furthermore, beneath the melt-freeze and wind crusts, and in some places at ground level, there are intermediate layers prone to triggering, as they are expansively metamorphosed (faceted), most frequently found above 2200 m on shady slopes.

Over the next few days it will be warm, without much precipitation. No significant change is expected in avalanche danger levels.