Avalanche forecast

Small to medium sized moist slides and avalanches possible

Small to medium sized moist slides and avalanches possible

With lower temperatures, isolated small-to-medium moist slides and avalanches are possible at all altitudes, esp. on extremely steep slopes following a night of cloud skies. Avalanches can be triggered in the weak old snow even by one sole skier, esp. on shady slopes above 2000m. They can fracture down to the moist layers of the old snowpack, which pushes the runout zones further downhill. Most releases are medium-sized. Whumpf noises and glide cracks when you tread on the snowpack are indicators of imminent danger. Fresh snowdrifts can be triggered by one sole skier esp. on shady slopes above 2400m. Caution urged at the foot of rock walls, behind protruberances, and in gullies and bowls. Activity of small-to-medium loose-snow avalanches will increase significantly. Runout zones should be circumvented. On very steep grass-covered slopes, glide-snow avalanches are possible, also medium sized releases.

Since Friday, 50-100cm of fresh snow has been registered above 1600m, locally more. High air moisture has moistened the snowpack esp. above 2400m. Heavily clouded skies mean the snowpack cannot firm up during the nocturnal hours. More deeply embedded inside the snowpack on shady slopes are faceted, expansively metamorphosed weak layers, esp. above 1900m.

On Monday the air curent will shift, it will become windier and cooler. Strong northerly winds will often disperse some clouds. At 2000m: -7 degrees.

Due to lower temperatures and low air moisture the snowpack is consolidating