Vicentine Prealps

New snow and wind slabs represent the main danger.

New snow and wind slabs represent the main danger.

Since yesterday evening, an average of 25-45 cm of fresh snow has fallen in the Dolomites above 1600 m and 35-55 cm in the Pre-Alps above 1700 m. Further precipitation is expected in the afternoon, snowfall above 1000 m, bringing up to 25 cm of fresh snow in the Dolomites above 2000 m and 35 cm in the Pre-Alps above 1500 m. With fresh snow, spontaneous avalanches of weakly cohesive snow are possible, which in some cases can even reach large sizes. The winds at high altitudes are blowing tensely from the southern quadrants and are creating new wind-blown snow deposits, which can be triggered already with a weak overload (e.g. by a single skier), and here too avalanches can reach large sizes. At altitudes between 1,000 and 1,400 m, where the snow has fallen wetter and on relatively warm ground, snow slide avalanches are possible. The avalanche danger is estimated to be Marked (Grade 3) above the forest line and Moderate (Grade 2) at lower altitudes.

The snowpack will become increasingly prone to triggering. Over a wide area new snow is lying on the smooth surface of an old snowpack.