Cervinia and Upper Valpelline Valley

The wind will be strong. The fresh snow and the wind slabs represent the main danger.

The wind will be strong. The fresh snow and the wind slabs represent the main danger.

Some snow will fall until late morning. As a consequence of a strong northwesterly wind, easily released wind slabs will form in the course of the day above the tree line. In particular in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain the prevalence and size of these avalanche prone locations will increase as the day progresses, in the regions exposed to a lot of wind, also at a distance from ridgelines. The fresh snow and the wind slabs can be released easily, even by a single winter sport participant,. Backcountry touring calls for experience in the assessment of avalanche danger and careful route selection. On wind-loaded slopes and from starting zones at higher altitudes dry avalanches are possible. They can be released in the weakly bonded old snow and reach medium size.

20 to 40 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Friday above approximately 2500 m. On Friday it was mild. The rain gave rise to thorough wetting of the old snowpack over a wide area below approximately 2500 m. Over a wide area new snow and wind slabs are lying on a hard crust, especially below approximately 2600 m. The old snowpack is unfavourably layered.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease gradually.