Werdenfels Alps

Heed danger zones near ridgelines at high altitudes

For Friday, a few cm of fresh snow is forecast which will not influence the avalanche situation. Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly over the next few days.

Heed danger zones near ridgelines at high altitudes

Avalanche danger at high altitudes is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Main problem: superficial weak layers in the old snowpack, transported snow. Particularly by large additional loading, e.g. several skier not maintaining distances, a medium-sized slab avalanche can be triggered on steep ridgeline N/W/SE facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullied and bowls. Ground-level weak layers in the old snowpack can be most easily triggered in transitions from deep to shallow snow on steep shady slopes.

The snowpack at high altitudes shows pronounced effects from wind, alternates over the shortest distances between bonded wind-pressed snow layers and powdery loose snow without tension. All in all the snowpack has settled well. In ridgeline terrain there are still small slabs which lied deposited atop soft layers of faceted snow and can be triggered. Particularly on shady slopes in high alpine regions, weak layers inside the ground-level layers of the snowpack have persisted. On sunny slopes at intermediate altitudes, there are melt-freeze encrusted layers, elsewhere the snow is powdery and without internal tensions.