Rhemes Valley

Wind slabs represent the main danger.

Wind slabs represent the main danger.

Over a wide area 20 to 30 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, will fall from early morning above approximately 2000 m, in particular along the border with France. As a consequence of snowfall and the strong northwesterly wind, the snow drift accumulations will increase in size in the course of the day. The avalanche prone locations are to be found in places that are some distance from ridgelines and in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain. The fresh snow of the last few days and very particularly the wind slabs can be released easily or naturally. In some places avalanches can be released in the new snow and wind slab layers and reach large size, in particular along the border with France. As a consequence of warming small and, in isolated cases, medium-sized moist avalanches are possible below approximately 2300 m. Weak layers in the old snowpack can be released especially by large additional loads especially between approximately 2700 and 3000 m, caution is to be exercised at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack. Whumpfing sounds are a clear indication.

25 to 40 cm of snow, and up to 50 cm in some localities, fell in the last three days above approximately 2200 m. Up to 2200 m rain has fallen. The westerly wind has transported the new snow significantly. These weather conditions gave rise to unfavourable bonding of the old snowpack in some places in particular along the border with France below approximately 2500 m. The snowpack will be generally subject to considerable local variations. In all aspects snow depths vary greatly above approximately 2000 m, depending on the infuence of the wind.

Slight decrease in avalanche danger as a consequence of the ceasing of precipitation.