Saualpe North

Wind slabs and weakly bonded old snow represent the main danger.

Wind slabs and weakly bonded old snow represent the main danger.

The fresh snow and the wind slabs that are forming during the snowfall will be deposited on a weakly bonded old snowpack on west, north and east facing slopes above the tree line. Especially here avalanches can be triggered in the faceted old snow. This applies even in case of a single winter sport participant. In isolated cases avalanches are medium-sized. Caution is to be exercised in particular in gullies and bowls, as well as at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack. The avalanche prone locations are sometimes covered with new snow. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack can indicate the danger.

In some regions up to 10 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, will fall. The new snow and wind slabs are lying on top of a weakly bonded old snowpack above the tree line. The old snowpack is faceted and weak. This applies especially in shady places that are protected from the wind.

The new snow and wind slabs remain prone to triggering.