Pollein and Saint-Marcel

The danger of dry and wet avalanches will not decrease for the time being.

The danger of dry and wet avalanches will not decrease for the time being.

As a consequence of rising temperatures and significant solar radiation a precarious avalanche situation developed. The backcountry touring conditions are unfavourable. These meteorological conditions will bring about a rise in the danger of dry and wet avalanches in particular at high altitude. Especially adjacent to ridgelines and in gullies and bowls medium-sized dry and wet avalanches are possible. In particular above approximately 2700 m such avalanche prone locations are more prevalent and the danger is slightly greater. Additionally in some places avalanches can penetrate near-ground layers of the snowpack reach quite a large size in particular on very steep shady slopes. Wet avalanches can be released in the weakly bonded old snow, even by a single winter sport participant. In addition the fresh wind slabs should be taken into account. These can in many places be released, even by a single winter sport participant and reach medium size, caution is to be exercised in particular adjacent to ridgelines at high altitude.

From early morning the weather will be mostly sunny. Sunshine and high temperatures will give rise on Wednesday to a loss of strength within the snowpack over a wide area. The surface of the snowpack is frozen, but not to a significant depth and will soften quickly. 40 to 60 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, fell on Monday above approximately 2600 m. Since Saturday on very steep slopes numerous medium-sized and, in isolated cases, large avalanches were reported. The spring-like weather conditions gave rise to rapid moistening of the snowpack over a wide area. These conditions facilitated a substantial settling of the near-surface layers in particular below approximately 2500 m. Especially at high altitudes and in high Alpine regions a lot of snow is lying. Individual weak layers exist in the snowpack in shady places that are protected from the wind, especially above approximately 2400 m.

The avalanche danger will increase during the day.