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Karwendel Mountains

Karwendel West

Mon 16 Feb

Updated off-schedule

The provider reissued this bulletin at 16 Feb 07:00 UTC, outside the normal publication cycle.

Day Risk Profile

Low
below treeline
Earlier
Considerable
above treeline
Earlier
Moderate
below treeline
Later
High
above treeline
Later

Avalanche Problems

Above treeline

Considerable (3) Dry avalanches, earlier
Dry snow level 3 Persistent weak layers + Wind slab Slab 3
N, NE, E, W, NW
above treeline
Medium Some Very poor
GM.1 GM.8
Field notes

Persistent weak layers

Persistent Snowpack layer in which the crystals are poorly bonded and the layer has the potential to fail. Typical crystals in dry weak layers causing avalanches are : precipitation particles; surface hoar; faceted crystals; hollow crystals; graupel. Generally >1mm in size, loose grains with few bonds Wet weak layers can be formed by all snow crystal/grain types.EAWS glossary are very challenging to recognise. Distinctive noise (resembling a “whumpf” sound) occurring when a weak layer beneath a slab collapses. The air of the weak layer is forced outside the snowpack, with the resulting whumpf sound being heard. The sound usually indicates an unstable situation and can be accompanied by surface cracking. A whumpf is a clear avalanche alert.EAWS glossary sounds and shooting cracks are typical when present, but you can have a serious weak layer with no warning signs at the surface. Knowledge of how the Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary has evolved is essential. SLF's travel advice is direct: travel conservatively, avoid terrain where the consequences of being caught are large, and treat the history of weather and snow as more important than what you can see today. Read the full bulletin.

Wind slab

Look for fresh snow deposits on Slope facing downwind/ wind sheltered aspect. Snow deposits can attain several times average snow depth.EAWS glossary, in Usually a steep, elongated, eroded trench; typically prone to snowdrift accumulation.EAWS glossary and Rounded or elongated concavity; typically tending to accumulate snowdrift.EAWS glossary, and behind ridgelines and abrupt changes in terrain — these are where the wind has loaded the snow into slabs that are easy to trigger. Recent avalanches, shooting cracks under your weight, and Distinctive noise (resembling a “whumpf” sound) occurring when a weak layer beneath a slab collapses. The air of the weak layer is forced outside the snowpack, with the resulting whumpf sound being heard. The sound usually indicates an unstable situation and can be accompanied by surface cracking. A whumpf is a clear avalanche alert.EAWS glossary sounds are clear confirmations of the problem. The safest move is to avoid wind-loaded terrain entirely. NB wind signs alone don't always mean an avalanche problem exists, and the age of drifted snow is hard to judge.

Source: SLF Avalanche Bulletin Interpretation Guide

High (4) Dry avalanches, later
Dry snow level 4 Persistent weak layers + Wind slab Slab 4
N, NE, E, W, NW
above treeline
Large Many Very poor
GM.1 GM.8
Field notes

Persistent weak layers

Persistent Snowpack layer in which the crystals are poorly bonded and the layer has the potential to fail. Typical crystals in dry weak layers causing avalanches are : precipitation particles; surface hoar; faceted crystals; hollow crystals; graupel. Generally >1mm in size, loose grains with few bonds Wet weak layers can be formed by all snow crystal/grain types.EAWS glossary are very challenging to recognise. Distinctive noise (resembling a “whumpf” sound) occurring when a weak layer beneath a slab collapses. The air of the weak layer is forced outside the snowpack, with the resulting whumpf sound being heard. The sound usually indicates an unstable situation and can be accompanied by surface cracking. A whumpf is a clear avalanche alert.EAWS glossary sounds and shooting cracks are typical when present, but you can have a serious weak layer with no warning signs at the surface. Knowledge of how the Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary has evolved is essential. SLF's travel advice is direct: travel conservatively, avoid terrain where the consequences of being caught are large, and treat the history of weather and snow as more important than what you can see today. Read the full bulletin.

Wind slab

Look for fresh snow deposits on Slope facing downwind/ wind sheltered aspect. Snow deposits can attain several times average snow depth.EAWS glossary, in Usually a steep, elongated, eroded trench; typically prone to snowdrift accumulation.EAWS glossary and Rounded or elongated concavity; typically tending to accumulate snowdrift.EAWS glossary, and behind ridgelines and abrupt changes in terrain — these are where the wind has loaded the snow into slabs that are easy to trigger. Recent avalanches, shooting cracks under your weight, and Distinctive noise (resembling a “whumpf” sound) occurring when a weak layer beneath a slab collapses. The air of the weak layer is forced outside the snowpack, with the resulting whumpf sound being heard. The sound usually indicates an unstable situation and can be accompanied by surface cracking. A whumpf is a clear avalanche alert.EAWS glossary sounds are clear confirmations of the problem. The safest move is to avoid wind-loaded terrain entirely. NB wind signs alone don't always mean an avalanche problem exists, and the age of drifted snow is hard to judge.

Source: SLF Avalanche Bulletin Interpretation Guide

All elevations

High (4) Dry avalanches, later
Dry snow level 4 New snow Loose 4
All aspects
Medium Few Very poor
GM.1 GM.8
Field notes

Easy to spot - the snow is fresh. Look at recent avalanche activity in similar terrain, and pay attention to how much new snow has fallen in the last three days. Critical loading depends on temperature, wind, and what was on the surface before the storm. SLF advises waiting until the Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary has had time to bond before committing to steep terrain in fresh snow.

Source: SLF Avalanche Bulletin Interpretation Guide

Avalanche Activity

Outside marked and open pistes a very dangerous avalanche situation will prevail. From the late morning as a consequence of new snow and strong wind there will be an increase in the avalanche danger to level 4 (high). The danger exists in particular in alpine snow sports terrain.

The fresh snow and the wind slabs that are being formed by the strong westerly wind can be released easily or naturally in all Direction in which a slope faces as indicated by compass direction of the fall line; i.e. a north slope faces in a northerly direction.EAWS glossary above the tree line. Individual Locations delineated by aspect or altitude where avalanches can trigger and people or objects are at risk.EAWS glossary are to be found also in areas close to the tree line. The number and size of avalanche prone locations will increase during the course of the night. As the snowfall level rises more frequent natural avalanches are to be expected from the late morning. Avalanches can in some cases penetrate deep layers and reach large size. This applies on west, north and east facing slopes. On very steep slopes small and, in isolated cases, medium-sized loose snow avalanches are possible. At low and intermediate altitudes small and, in isolated cases, medium-sized gliding avalanches and wet snow slides are to be expected as the snowfall level rises. In the regions exposed to rain this applies from late morning.

Outlook

Constant avalanche danger

17 February 2026

High avalanche danger will persist. The conditions are very dangerous for backcountry touring and other off-piste activities. Natural avalanches are to be expected.

Snowpack & Weather

Snowpack
20 to 30 cm of snow fell during the night. 15 to 25 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, will fall until the evening. The wind will be strong. The fresh snow and in particular the extensive wind slabs will be deposited on a weakly bonded Snow layers deposited from earlier precipitation, prior to fresh fallen snow. Old snow layers consist of metamorphosed snow crystals.EAWS glossary in particular on west, north and east facing slopes above the tree line. In some places various wind slab layers are lying on Transparent, frequently flat crystals forming on the snowpack when moist air settles on the surface. It forms most often during cold, clear, humid nights. Once it is blanketed by fresh fallen snow, surface hoar is one of the most critical weak layer. See also: www.snowcrystals.itEAWS glossary. Faceted Snowpack layer in which the crystals are poorly bonded and the layer has the potential to fail. Typical crystals in dry weak layers causing avalanches are : precipitation particles; surface hoar; faceted crystals; hollow crystals; graupel. Generally >1mm in size, loose grains with few bonds Wet weak layers can be formed by all snow crystal/grain types.EAWS glossary exist in the bottom section of the Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary. Field observations and artificially triggered avalanches confirm the existence of a weak snowack.

Source

ALBINA

Issued

16 Feb 07:00 UTC

Valid until

16 Feb 16:00 UTC

Next update

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Schedule

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