Middle Lys Valley

The current avalanche situation calls for careful route selection.

The current avalanche situation calls for careful route selection.

The new snow and wind slabs of last week are lying on the unfavourable surface of an old snowpack on shady slopes and at high altitude. In particular above approximately 2300 m these avalanche prone locations are more prevalent. Such avalanche prone locations are barely recognisable, even to the trained eye. They can still be released. Remotely triggered avalanches are possible in isolated cases. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack and stability tests confirm an unfavourable avalanche situation on steep slopes. As a consequence of warming during the day and solar radiation small and, in isolated cases, medium-sized dry and moist avalanches are possible. This applies especially on very steep sunny slopes.

10 to 30 cm of snow fell on Sunday above approximately 2500 m. On Sunday on very steep shady slopes numerous medium-sized and, in isolated cases, large avalanches were observed. Since Sunday on very steep sunny slopes numerous small and, in isolated cases, medium-sized avalanches occurred naturally. The solar radiation gave rise as the day progresses to moistening of the snowpack below approximately 2500 m. The new snow and wind slabs are lying on a crust on steep sunny slopes. In particular at intermediate altitudes less snow than usual is lying. On sunny slopes below approximately 2400 m hardly any snow is lying.

The danger of moist avalanches will increase.