Goldberg Group Central

Easily triggerable snowdrifts

Easily triggerable snowdrifts

Avalanche danger is considerable. Freshly generated snowdrift accumulations can be triggered in some danger zones by 1 person and grow to medium size. Danger zones increase with ascending altitude, occur esp. behind discontinuities and in gullies and bowls on steep (over 30°) W/N/E facing slopes. In case of solar radiation, small loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally in steep (>40°) terrain, in places can be triggered by 1 person.

Atop a thoroughly moist snowpack, 50-80 cm of cold fresh snow lie deposited. In transitions from the old snowpack to the fresh snow masses, bonding is good, but poor in the upper layers of the fresh snow, due to wind impact. Weak layer! Reserves of cold in the old snow are limited to shady slopes above 2600 m. Gliding snow activity has receded.

On Friday night, 5-10 cm of fresh snow is expected, on Saturday the peaks will be veiled in clouds and repeated bouts of snowfall are expected (5-10 cm) during the day. Visibility severely reduced. Winds moderate to brisk from the northwest. At 2000m: -7 degrees; at 3000 m: -13 degrees.

Snowdrift accumulations will quickly consolidate.