Middle Lys Valley

Wet snow represents the main danger. Backcountry tours and ascents to alpine cabins should be started and concluded early.

Wet snow represents the main danger. Backcountry tours and ascents to alpine cabins should be started and concluded early.

The weather will be very warm. Sunshine and high temperatures will give rise from early morning to rapid softening of the snowpack over a wide area. From the middle of the day the likelihood of moist and wet avalanches being released will increase significantly. Apart from the danger of being buried, restraint should be exercised in particular in view of the danger of avalanches sweeping people along and giving rise to falls. In starting zones where no previous releases have taken place and at high altitude wet avalanches are possible as the day progresses. These can in isolated cases be released in near-ground layers and reach quite a large size. On Wednesday the wind was moderate to strong in particular along the border with Switzerland and along the border with France. As a consequence of wind from northeasterly directions, mostly small wind slabs formed. They are clearly recognisable to the trained eye. The fresh wind slabs can in isolated cases be released by a single winter sport participant. These avalanche prone locations are to be found especially on very steep slopes above approximately 2700 m and adjacent to ridgelines and in pass areas.

As a consequence of highly fluctuating temperatures the snowpack settled during the last few days. Early morning: In steep terrain there is a danger of falling on the hard snow surface. The surface of the snowpack will only just freeze and will soften earlier than the day before, in particular at low altitude. During the day: Sunshine and high temperatures will give rise to rapid moistening of the snowpack below approximately 3800 m.

The weather will be exceptionally warm. These meteorological conditions will prevent a change towards better conditions in the early morning. The danger of moist and wet avalanches will already exist in the early morning.