Chiemgau Alps East

Abundant fresh snow can trigger naturally. Also huge snowdrift accumulations require caution. A treacherous avalanche situation.

Abundant fresh snow can trigger naturally. Also huge snowdrift accumulations require caution. A treacherous avalanche situation.

Avalanche danger above the treeline is high, below that altitude danger is considerable. The main danger: fresh snow and snowdrifts. Numerous avalanche prone locations are found in steep terrain in all aspects, particularly near ridgelines, in wind-loaded gullies and bowls and, distant from ridgelines, also behind protruberances. Large-sized slab avalanches can be triggered in many places even by the weight of one sole person. Furthermore, large and, in some places, very large loose-snow and slab avalanches can release naturally on steep slopes and endanger exposed transportation routes.

Until Tuesday evening there was 30-50 cm of fresh snow registered widespread, more from place to place. More heavy snowfall is forecast. Storm-strength NW winds are transporting the snow uninterruptedly. Wide-ranging, trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations have been generated and are becoming larger. In phases where there is less wind, weak intermediate layers inside the drifts have formed, sometimes riddled with graupel. On the borderline to the old snowpack are faceted crystals beneath a thin melt-freeze crust. All in all, the snowpack shows immense wind impact, snow depths are thus highly varied.

Any activities in outlying terrain demand immense caution and extensive knowledge of avalanche science. As the precipitation comes to an end, avalanche danger could recede somewhat on Thursday.