Deferegger Alps East

Considerable avalanche danger will be encountered over a wide area. Backcountry touring calls for careful route selection.

Considerable avalanche danger will be encountered over a wide area. Backcountry touring calls for careful route selection.

The new snow and wind slabs of Thursday can be released easily, even by a single winter sport participant, in all aspects above the tree line. The avalanche prone locations are to be found also in areas close to the tree line. They are sometimes covered with new snow and are difficult to recognise. Caution is to be exercised in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain. At a distance from ridgelines the wind slabs are larger. Isolated large avalanches are possible here. Remotely triggered avalanches are possible. Additionally avalanches can also be released in the old snowpack. Such avalanche prone locations are to be found in steep terrain above the tree line. In steep rocky terrain small and medium-sized loose snow avalanches are to be expected.

The snowpack will be generally prone to triggering. Over a wide area up to 30 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Thursday. The strong wind has transported the new snow significantly. The fresh snow as well as the extensive wind slabs formed during the snowfall are lying on soft layers in all aspects above the tree line. Also slopes close to the tree line are unfavourable. In some places new snow and wind slabs are lying on surface hoar. As a consequence of the sometimes storm force wind the wind slabs will increase in size additionally on Friday. Faceted weak layers exist in the snowpack, especially on steep slopes above the tree line. In shady places that are protected from the wind the snowpack is weaker. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack indicate the existence of a weak snowack.

In some regions up to 50 cm of snow will fall on Saturday. In the north more snow will fall. On Saturday as a consequence of new snow and stormy weather there will be a significant increase in the avalanche danger.