Werdenfels Alps

With new fallen snow and stormy westerly winds, small, prone to triggering snowdrift accumulations develop.

With new fallen snow and stormy westerly winds, small, prone to triggering snowdrift accumulations develop.

The avalanche risk is moderate above the tree line and low below it. Wind slab avalanches are problematic. Small to medium slab avalanches can be triggered even with a small additional load. Avalanche prone locations are located on steep slopes with aspects ranging from north-west to north to south-east, as well as in gullies and bowls. They increase in number and size with altitude.

Occasionally, medium slab avalanches can also be triggered in persistent weak layers. This is particularly conceivable on very steep shady slopes above 1800 m with a high additional load, for example if a superficial avalanche breaks through into deep, weak layers.

Some fresh and older wind slabs lie on surface hoar or thin wind and melt-freeze crusts that are prone to triggering. Individual, poor snow cover test results indicate that it is still possible to trigger snow slabs in deeper, built-up layers at higher elevations. There is a lack of old snowpack up to high altitudes on the south side, and exposed terrain on the west side is often blown off. At lower elevations (below 1500 metres), the old snowpack is damp or wet.

No significant change.