Chiemgau Alps East

Snowdrifts are prone to triggering; at low altitudes, little snow on wet ground

Snowdrifts are prone to triggering; at low altitudes, little snow on wet ground

Avalanche danger above 1700 m is considerable, below that altitude low. Main problem: snowdrifts. Small slab avalanches can be triggered even by minimum additional loading, i.e. the weight of one sole skier. Avalanche prone locations are found particularly above 1700 m on steep ridgeline slopes in all aspects, in freshly wind-loaded gullies and bowls and behind protruberances. With ascending altitude the frequency of danger zones increases and, thereby, also the potential size of avalanches which trigger. The accumulations are ongoingly getting blanketed by fresh batches of snowfall, making them difficult to recognize, including for experts.

On Wednesday and Thursday, 20-30 cm of overall snowfall is expected, intensively transported by strong winds. At higher altitudes, bonding of the drifts to the melt-freeze encrusted, in some places icy surface is poor. In some places, trigger-sensitive intermediate layers are wedged inside the snowdrifts. The fundament is stable. Below 1700 m, bonding with the wet old snowpack surface is good. At low altitudes the fresh snow often was deposited directly on wet ground.

Avalanche danger is not expected to change significantly on Friday.