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Churfirsten and Rhine Valley

Appenzeller Alpen

Wed 21 Jan

Day Risk Profile

Low

Avalanche Problems

Dry avalanches · all day
Dry snow level 1 No distinct problem 1
N, NE, E, NW
above 1400m
From a snow sport perspective, in most cases insufficient snow is lying. Individual Locations delineated by aspect or altitude where avalanches can trigger and people or objects are at risk.EAWS glossary are to be found in extremely steep terrain. Avalanches are only small. Restraint should be exercised because avalanches can sweep people along and give rise to falls.
Field notes

SLF uses this label when no single problem dominates the assessment, often on lower-danger days. It doesn't mean conditions are safe: any avalanche type is still possible, and normal caution applies. On stable days this is usually a signal to enjoy the mountains with general awareness; on less-stable days where the assessment is still inconclusive, it's a signal to be cautious specifically because there's no clear pattern to follow.

Source: SLF Avalanche Bulletin Interpretation Guide

Snowpack & Weather

Snowpack

There are distinct 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 in the middle and lower part of the Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary, particularly on wind-protected shady slopes. These are particularly common south of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine and on the southern flank of the Alps. In these weak layers, medium-sized and sometimes even large avalanches can still be triggered by human activity. The snowpack on northern and eastern slopes in Valais, as well as in northern Grisons, is particularly prone to triggering. Remote triggering is still possible in these areas in particular. The most recent avalanches triggered in the Snow layers deposited from earlier precipitation, prior to fresh fallen snow. Old snow layers consist of metamorphosed snow crystals.EAWS glossary were reported on the northern flank of the Alps at the weekend.

Weather review for Tuesday

It was cloudy on the southern flank of the Alps. Some snow fell at times above 1000 m. It was sunny in the other regions.

Fresh snow

A few centimetres in the southern Simplon region and in Valle Maggia

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +1 °C in the north and -4 °C in the south

Wind

From the south:

  • Moderate and occasionally strong on the northern Alpine ridge
  • Elsewhere light to moderate
Weather forecast to Wednesday

Conditions will be sunny in the mountains.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between 0 °C in the north and -4 °C in the south

Wind

Mostly light southwesterly to westerly winds

Outlook to Friday

On Thursday it will be sunny in the east. Clouds will gather in the west and south. On Friday it will be cloudy in the west and south, with precipitation on the Main Alpine Ridge and to the south of it in the afternoon. The snowfall level will be at low altitude. There will be sunny intervals in the east.

The avalanche danger will continue to decrease slowly. 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 in the Snow layers deposited from earlier precipitation, prior to fresh fallen snow. Old snow layers consist of metamorphosed snow crystals.EAWS glossary will remain prone to triggering, especially in the inneralpine regions.

Source

SLF

Issued

21 Jan 07:00 UTC

Valid until

21 Jan 16:00 UTC

Next update

21 Jan 16:00 UTC

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