Chiemgau Alps East

Daytime warming will cause small loose-snow avalanches to trigger naturally

Daytime warming will cause small loose-snow avalanches to trigger naturally

Avalanche danger above 1600 nm is moderate, as the day unfolds it will rise to moderate also below this altitude. Main problem: snowdrift accumulations, which can be triggered in steep ridgeline terrain even by 1 person, mostly small slab releases. During the day, wet snow will become a problem on sunny slopes. At all altitudes, small to medium sized loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally, esp. on steep rocky slopes. On steep, smooth slopes which have not yet discharged, isolated glide-snowslides can release. Glide cracks are indicators of potential danger.

The snowpack is moist/wet well into intermediate altitude zones, at low altitudes it is melt-freeze encrusted. At high altitudes the snowpack is superficially dry, very cold and often with surface hoar in early morning. Older snowdrifts lie atop soft layers above 1600 m. Combined with the markedly higher temperatures, the sun can still moisten the snowpack up to high altitudes. In extremely steep rocky terrain, loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally.

Avalanche danger is not expected to change significantly.