Allgäu Alps West

Still weak layers in the old snow on high-altitude shady slopes

Still weak layers in the old snow on high-altitude shady slopes

Considerable avalanche danger prevails at high altitudes. Avalanche prone locations occur in shady steep terrain, and in gullies and bowls, Small to medium, in isolated cases also large-sized slab avalanches can be triggered even by minimum additional loading, i.e. the weight of one sole skier. Whumpf noises and glide-cracks in the snowpack are signals of imminent danger. Activities in backcountry terrain demand experience in assessing dangers on-site. Due to solar radiation and daytime warming, small loose-snow avalanches are possible on sunny slopes. On sunny steep grassy slopes, glide-snow avalanches are possible.

Fresh snow and drifts from the beginning of the week lie atop unfavourable old snowpack layers, often with surface hoar, melt-freeze encrusted or softened layers. Bonding of fresh snow and drifts to these layers and also inside the snowpack itself is frequently poor. At lower and intermediate altitudes the snowpack was able to settle somewhat, and consolidate. On shady slopes and with ascending altitude this process is taking longer, also due to the lower temperatures. On very steep sunny slopes a thin melt-freeze crust has formed on the surface. The snowpack is often still powdery.

Nocturnal hours: clear, dry nighttime skies, and cold. Saturday: temporarily windy, a few clouds in the morning. In the afternoon, sunnier, temperatures rising. At 2000 m: -7 to 0 degrees. Moderate to brisk N/NW winds.

Sunday will be sunny but for a few cirrus clouds. Cold NE winds. Avalanche danger will slowly diminish.