Werdenfels Alps

Snowdrift accumulations in places still prone to triggering.

Snowdrift accumulations in places still prone to triggering.

Avalanche danger above 1800 m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. The main problem are snowdrifts. On a few extremely steep slopes, primarily adjacent to ridgelines in NE/N/W aspects as well as in wind-loaded gullies and bowls, medium-sized slab avalanches can be triggered in particular by large additional loading such as by a group of skiers not maintaining distances. In addition, isolated wet loose snow avalanches can trigger naturally on extremely steep rocky and sun-exposed slopes or glide snow avalanches on steep grass-covered slopes. Avalanches tend to be small.

Small-scale snowdrift accumulations were locally deposited atop soft layers consisting of graupel or decomposing and fragmented precipitation particles. These can still be prone to triggering. Elsewhere the snowpack has settled considerably and stabilized in particular at low and intermediate altitudes. At intermediate altitude the snowpack base is partly moist and thus promotes gliding movements of the snow masses over smooth surfaces. In south-facing terrain a melt-freeze crust forms during the night which melts again during the course of the day. This means that the snowpack becomes wet in steep sunny rocky terrain.

As a consequence of stable high pressure weather and milder temperatures the snowpack will continue to settle and the danger of dry slab avalanches will decrease, also at higher altitudes.