Churfirsten and Rhine Valley
Appenzeller Alpen
Stable day. Low, with gliding snow buried out of sight — few places, and nothing at the surface to mark them.
Day Risk Profile
Avalanche Problems
Gliding snow
1
Field notes
Almost impossible to predict precisely, even when the warning signs are visible. A crack visible on the snowpack surface formed by snow-gliding on steep, and particularly grass-covered slopes. Areas below slopes with visible glide cracks should be avoided whenever possible due to threat of gliding sluffs or avalanches.EAWS glossary — gaps that open in the Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary down to the ground — are often precursors to release, but they don't tell you when. A glide avalanche can release minutes after the cracks appear, or weeks later, or not at all. Some release without any visible warning. Avoid lingering anywhere near glide cracks: above them, alongside them, or below in the runout.
Snowpack & Weather
Snowpack
North of a line from the Rhone to the Rhine and in the extreme west of Lower Valais, 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 deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary are mostly thickly covered and can only rarely be triggered by human activity.
South of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine, the 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 that have been a feature since the beginning of January are still present. In many places, the surface of the Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary is compacted or load-bearing. The snowpack therefore appears more stable and danger signs such as cracks or 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 becoming less frequent. The deep weak layers are still present, however, and avalanches can still be triggered by human activity and become large, but the number of avalanche-prone locations is slowly decreasing. Grisons is still the region where the most avalanches and alarm signs are being reported. In southern Valais, the significant weak layers in the lower part of the snowpack are mostly more thickly covered. Avalanche-prone locations where avalanches can be triggered in the weak Snow layers deposited from earlier precipitation, prior to fresh fallen snow. Old snow layers consist of metamorphosed snow crystals.EAWS glossary are therefore less numerous there and are mainly located in areas with relatively little snow.
Overnight to Saturday, which will see only clear intervals, the surface of the Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary will freeze somewhat less well than on the preceding days, but it should be mostly load-bearing in the morning down to around 2500 m, and on eastward and westward sides down to around 2300 m. Sunshine will cause the Layer of hard-compacted snow resulting from a melt-freeze process or wind.EAWS glossary to soften quickly and, as temperatures warm up over the course of the day, gliding avalanches will be possible on steep grassy slopes.
Weather review for Friday
After a clear night, conditions were sunny and very mild in the mountains.
Fresh snow
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Temperature
At midday at 2000 m, between +7 °C in the north and +5 °C in the south
Wind
Light, occasionally moderate southwesterly
Weather forecast to Saturday
Conditions will be mostly sunny in Valais, Ticino and Grisons and there will be sunny intervals on the northern flank of the Alps.
Fresh snow
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Temperature
Dropping to between +2 °C in the west and south and +5 °C in the east at midday at 2000 m
Wind
Initially light southwesterly but rising to moderate over the course of the day in the Jura and at higher altitudes
Outlook to Monday
Overnight to Sunday conditions will be mostly cloudy and there will be a little precipitation in the north up to midday, falling as snow above approximately 1400 m. On Sunday afternoon the west will become increasingly sunny, and the east will see an increasing number of brighter intervals. Conditions will remain cloudy in the south and some snow will fall above 1600 m.
On Monday, there will be sunny intervals on the southern flank of the Alps, with the likelihood of a little precipitation. In other regions conditions will be mostly sunny after a clear night. There will be a light, occasionally moderate southerly wind on both days.
The danger of dry avalanches will continue to decrease, but only slowly in southern Valais, Ticino and particularly in Grisons due to the pronounced 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. Gliding avalanche and especially Avalanche of wet snow masses. Flowing more slowly than dry avalanches; usually for shorter runout distances, however with greater impact on obstacles due to higher snow density.EAWS glossary activity will continue to decrease.