Werdenfels Alps

Caution urged towards trigger-sensitive, covered snowdrift accumulations with ascending altitude

Caution urged towards trigger-sensitive, covered snowdrift accumulations with ascending altitude

Avalanche danger above 2000m is moderate, danger is low below that altitude. Snowdrifts are the major problem, these can trigger a small-to-medium sized slab avalanche by minimum additional loading in some places. Danger zones occur near to and distant from ridgelines, mostly on NW-E-SE facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Frequency of avalanche prone locations tends to increase with ascending altitude.

The snowpack at high altitudes is much impacted by winds, snow depths are very diverse, broad and narrow ridges are uttler windblown. Particularly at high altitudes, weak intermediate layers inside the snowpack are still prone to triggering. At intermediate altitudes these layers were able to consolidate well on Saturday due to the milder temperatures.Small snowdrift accumulations are difficult to recognize, because they have been blanketed by a few cm of fresh fallen snow. At high altitudes in the Allgäu Alps, a layer of faceted (expansively metamorphosed) crystals has been generated beneath a melt-freeze crust inside the old snowpack. All in all, there is little snow on the ground.

Little change in avalanche danger levels is anticipated.