Valsavaranche

Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for experience and restraint.

The avalanche danger will persist. The wind will be moderate to strong over a wide area.

Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for experience and restraint.

Wind much stronger than expected in all regions: In all aspects the wind slabs have increased in size once again since Wednesday. They can especially at their margins be released, even by a single winter sport participant and reach medium size. Additionally avalanches can also be released in near-ground layers and reach quite a large size. The avalanche prone locations are to be found in particular on very steep northeast, east and southeast facing slopes, in particular at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack. Whumpfing sounds serve as an alarm indicating the danger.

20 to 40 cm of snow has fallen since Monday above approximately 2000 m. As a consequence of the moderate to strong northwesterly wind, the snow drift accumulations have increased in size. These are bonding only slowly with the old snowpack in all aspects. The strong wind has transported the new snow. In particular at high altitude snow depths vary greatly, depending on the infuence of the wind. Faceted weak layers exist in the bottom section of the snowpack at intermediate and high altitudes. In all aspects below approximately 2400 m less snow than usual is lying.