Middle Lys Valley

Wind slabs represent the main danger.

Wind slabs represent the main danger.

As a consequence of new snow and a light to moderate wind from northerly directions, mostly small wind slabs will form in the afternoon adjacent to ridgelines and in pass areas as well as at high altitude. They will be deposited on soft layers. These are covered with new snow and therefore difficult to recognise. Fresh wind slabs can in some cases be released easily. Especially transitions into gullies and bowls transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack, in particular on very steep slopes. In particular on rocky slopes and on very steep slopes small and, in isolated cases, medium-sized dry and wet avalanches are possible as a consequence of warming during the day and solar radiation.

10 cm of snow, and up to 20 cm in some localities, has fallen since Monday above approximately 2000 m. Over a wide area new snow and wind slabs are lying on a hard crust. Snow depths vary greatly at high altitude, depending on the infuence of the wind. In some cases the wind slabs have bonded poorly with the old snowpack. Especially on steep sunny slopes only a little snow is lying. Also adjacent to ridgelines hardly any snow is lying. In its middle, the snowpack is fairly homogeneous and its surface consists of loosely bonded snow lying on a crust that is strong in many cases. This applies below approximately 2600 m.

The avalanche danger will increase but remain within the current danger level. As a consequence of a sometimes moderate wind from northerly directions, soft wind slabs will form in the course of the day in some localities.