Chiemgau Alps East

In many places the snowpack is thoroughly moist. At higher altitudes, small snowdrifts can be prone to triggering.

In many places the snowpack is thoroughly moist. At higher altitudes, small snowdrifts can be prone to triggering.

Avalanche danger is moderate. Main problem: wet snow. Due to mild temperatures and sometimes rain wet loose snow and slab avalanches can release naturally on steep rocky slopes in all aspects. Glide snow avalanches can also be expected on smooth steep grass-covered slopes. The avalanches are mostly small to medium-sized. At higher altitudes, smaller snowdrift accumulations are triggerable in steep terrain. If avalanches fracture down to more deeply embedded layers they can also grow to large size in very isolated cases. Weak intermediate layers in the old snow are typically found in the north sector and can in addition still be triggered in places with little snow.

Due to mild temperatures and sometimes rain the thoroughly wet snowpack at intermediate altitudes can hardly consolidate. It is often also wet down to the ground which promotes gliding of the snow masses. At higher altitudes, there are locally still trigger-sensitive snowdrifts. In addition, locally faceted crystals still persist in the old snowpack underneath a melt-freeze crust. The weak layer becomes more pronounced with ascending altitude and in some places it is dangerously near the upper surface. The danger is undetectable above the snowpack.

Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly until Friday.