Border Graie Alps

The new snow and wind slabs must be evaluated with care and prudence. A dangerous avalanche situation will persist. Weak layers in the old snowpack are treacherous.

The new snow and wind slabs must be evaluated with care and prudence. A dangerous avalanche situation will persist. Weak layers in the old snowpack are treacherous.

The large quantity of fresh snow as well as the sometimes deep wind slabs remain for the foreseeable future prone to triggering. Even single winter sport participants can release avalanches in some places, including medium-sized ones. In particular on steep shady slopes the avalanches can be triggered in the old snow. The avalanche prone locations are to be found adjacent to ridgelines and in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack are a clear indication of a weakly bonded snowpack. Remotely triggered avalanches are possible in isolated cases. The natural avalanche activity will decrease. Medium-sized and, in isolated cases, large natural avalanches are nontheless possible. In addition as the day progresses in particular at the base of rock walls, small and, in isolated cases, medium-sized moist and wet avalanches are possible. Artificially triggered avalanches and field observations confirm the complex avalanche situation. Off-piste activities call for experience in the assessment of avalanche danger and caution.

Over a wide area 60 to 80 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Tuesday above approximately 2000 m. In the last few days easily released wind slabs formed at intermediate and high altitudes. The new snow of last week is bonding only slowly with the old snowpack. Large-grained weak layers exist in the old snowpack on shady slopes.

The weather will be sunny. The weather conditions will facilitate a gradual stabilisation of the snowpack.