Upper Passeier Valley

Wind slabs and weakly bonded old snow require caution.

Wind slabs and weakly bonded old snow require caution.

As a consequence of the sometimes storm force wind the wind slabs will increase in size moderately. The fresh wind slabs can in many places be released, even by a single winter sport participant and reach medium size. Avalanches can in isolated cases penetrate near-ground layers of the snowpack and reach large size. The avalanche prone locations are to be found in particular on very steep northwest, north and southeast facing slopes above approximately 2000 m. Caution is to be exercised in particular in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain above approximately 2000 m. The prevalence of avalanche prone locations and likelihood of triggering will increase with altitude. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack can indicate the danger. In addition small and, in isolated cases, medium-sized moist loose snow avalanches are possible, in the event of solar radiation in particular on extremely steep slopes.

As a consequence of a strong to storm force wind from northerly directions, further wind slabs will form in gullies and bowls and behind abrupt changes in the terrain. They will be deposited on soft layers. Avalanche prone weak layers exist in the bottom section of the snowpack on northwest, north and east facing slopes. This applies above approximately 2000 m. Below approximately 2000 m and steep sunny slopes: The surface of the snowpack will soften during the day. The old snowpack will be moist.

Wind slabs and weakly bonded old snow require caution.