Rhemes Valley

In particular along the border with France and along the border with Switzerland the avalanche prone locations are more widespread and the danger is slightly greater.

In particular along the border with France and along the border with Switzerland the avalanche prone locations are more widespread and the danger is slightly greater.

The wind slabs of Friday represent the main danger. They can be released by a single winter sport participant in some cases. Mostly the avalanches in these loacations are shallow, caution is to be exercised in particular adjacent to ridgelines and in gullies and bowls, and on steep slopes in particular above the tree line. On very steep shady slopes the avalanches can be triggered in deep layers of the snowpack. Slopes that have been little used this winter thus far are especially unfavourable. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack serve as an alarm sign. Maintaining distances between individuals and one-at-a-time descents are recommended. Individual natural avalanches are possible, even medium-sized ones.

Friday: 10 to 30 cm of snow, and up to 40 cm in some localities, has fallen above approximately 1200 m. The fresh snow and especially the wind-blown snow drifts, both soft and hard, cover a thin layer of old snow and partly also surface hoar. In some cases the wind slabs have bonded poorly with the old snowpack. Faceted weak layers exist in the old snowpack in particular on west, north and east facing slopes. Since Friday on very steep slopes several medium-sized and, in isolated cases, large avalanches occurred naturally. Some small and medium-sized slab avalanches have been released by people in the last two days.

The weather conditions will cause a gradual rise in the avalanche danger. Some snow will fall until Wednesday.