Chiemgau Alps East

Isolated avalanche prone locations on high-altitude shady slopes

Isolated avalanche prone locations on high-altitude shady slopes

Avalanche danger is low. Weak layers deeply embedded inside the snowpack are a threat over small areas. Danger zones occur on high-altitude extremely steep shady slopes, and there, most likely in transitions from deep to shallow snow, e.g. at entries into gullies. Small-to-medium slab avalanches can be triggered on few slopes by large additional loading. Isolated glide-snow avalanches on smooth, steep grass-covered slopes are possible. In the Allgäu these can reach medium size. Glide cracks are bellwethers of the danger.

Deeply embedded inside the old snowpack on shady slopes at high altitudes there are faceted crystals locally, near crusts, which have persisted. These are unlikely to trigger. Elsewhere the snowpack is largely stable. On shady slopes there is settled, frozen powder atop a compact old snowpack surface or, in exposed high-altitude terrain, wind-crusts. Wherever the sun shines, a melt-freeze crust is formed (of varying thickness) which then softens up during the daytime. On south-facing slopes, firn snow is more and more evident. Below 2000 m the snowpack fundament is often moist, gliding movements over smooth ground are being observed.

In the next few days, increasingly springlike conditions will appear, with a slight daytime cycle of avalanche danger.