Border Pennine Alps

The new snow and wind slabs of the last two days represent the main danger.

The new snow and wind slabs of the last two days represent the main danger.

The sometimes large wind slabs of the last few days must be evaluated with care and prudence in all aspects. These can in some places be released, even by a single winter sport participant. This applies especially in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain in particular at intermediate and high altitudes, and on steep slopes above approximately 2200 m. Avalanches can penetrate deep layers and reach quite a large size. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack can indicate the danger. The current avalanche situation calls for careful route selection.

Over a wide area 25 to 40 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, fell in the last two days above approximately 1500 m. As a consequence of the strong wind the wind slabs have increased in size. Faceted weak layers exist deeper in the old snowpack in particular on shady slopes.