Snow and Avalanche Reports

Snow and Avalanche Status Report – 17.02.2019, 07:30

Mostly favourable conditions in early morning. Daytime increase of wet avalanches, esp. on steep, sunny slopes.

Source of chars and avalanche status report: Landeswarnzentrale Vorarlberg - Avalanche Status Report

Regional danger levels

Problem: gliding snow

2500 m

steep grassy slopes, embankments, lanes

Problem: old snow

2200 m

transitions (shallow-to-deep snow)

Common level

Tendency for tomorrow

https://warndienste.cnv.at/dibos/lawine/bilder/EAWS/tendenz_gleichbleibend.png

Avalanche danger assessment

Mostly favourable conditions prevail in the early morning hours. As daytime warmth increases and solar radiation intensifies, the uppermost centimeters of the snowpack on sunny slopes soften; thereafter, small-to-medium set avalanches can trigger naturally in steep rocky terrain or can also be triggered by skiers. Below 2500 m on steep sunny slopes and embankments which have not yet discharged, isolated (also large) glide-snow avalanches can be expected. Avoid zones below glide cracks or pass through them quickly. Avalanche prone locations for dry avalanches are found primarily on shady, untracked slopes in transitions from shallow to deeper snow. Slab avalanches generally require large additional loading, i.e. if the members of a group do not maintain sufficient distances from one another.

Snow cover / General info

The snowpack has settled well due to the higher temperatures. Potential weak layers for dry avalanches are found primarily on NW/N/NE facing slopes, where at high altitudes there are faceted crystals in the intermediate layers in the upper meter of the snowpack. Deeper down inside the snowpack there are currently no marked weak layers. On sunny slopes there is melt-freeze in the early morning, turning to corn snow later on in the day. On shady slopes where there has been little wind and flat solar radiation prevails, there is still powder. On sunny slopes at intermediate altitudes the old snowpack is moist, enhancing the gliding movement of the entire snowpack over the ground.

Alpine weather forecast (ZAMG-Weather Service Innsbruck)

A high-pressure weather system is bringing mild, dry air masses to the Alps, providing outstanding conditions for winter sports in all mountain ranges. Sunshine throughout the day, only slight haze created by high-altitude clouds. Unseasonably mild at all altitudes. At 2000 m: +6 degrees. Mostly light W/NW winds at high altitudes.

Tendency for tomorrow

The stable and unusually mild weather will continue. Danger of wet-snow avalanches will increase during the day on steep, sunny slopes. Glide-snow avalanches can release at any time. Bernhard Anwander Translated from the German by Jeffrey McCabe

This bulletin describes the overall situation. Please heed additional recommendations of local avalanche commissions or security services.