Bavarian Prealps East

Caution: Isolated avalanche prone locations in steep wind-loaded gullies at high altitude

Caution: Isolated avalanche prone locations in steep wind-loaded gullies at high altitude

Avalanche danger is generally low. Near-surface snow layers in the old snowpack are sill a problem. Small slab avalanches can release in places, in particular by large additional loading, on weak intermediate layers in the snow deposited on the weekend and in the area of older blanketed snowdrift accumulations. Avalanche prone locations are found at high altitude in steep terrain adjacent to ridgelines in N/E/SE aspects as well as in steep wind-loaded gullies. The dangers of being forced to take a fall exceed those of being buried in snow.

The fresh snow of the weekend was deposited atop a melt-freeze encrusted, stable old snowpack and is widely covered by a thin ice crust or a melt-freeze crust. In windward terrain at higher altitudes wind crusts are predominant, elsewhere settled powder. Locally, trigger-sensitive intermediate layers persist in the near-surface layers of the snowpack. On sunny slopes at intermediate altitudes the snow moistens during the course of the day. All in all, the snowpack depths are below average, at lower altitudes a solid snow base is lacking in many places.

Amid stable high-pressure weather avalanche danger will recede further on by Thursday. New snow and wind is forecast for Friday, therefore avalanche danger can increase again.