Churfirsten and Rhine Valley
Appenzeller Alpen
Hard-to-read day. Moderate, with wind slab, wet snow and gliding snow in play — part of it readable at the surface, part of it buried and silent.
Day Risk Profile
Avalanche Problems
Wind slab
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Field notes
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.
Wet snow + Gliding snow
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Field notes
Wet snow
Rolling snowballs, deep penetration when you step or ski, and small natural slides are clear signals that the Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary is losing strength. After a clear, cold night the surface often freezes into a strong supporting Layer of hard-compacted snow resulting from a melt-freeze process or wind.EAWS glossary, and conditions are favourable in the early morning. After a warm, overcast night, the problem may be present from the start of the day. Plan early returns and watch the runout zones below you.
Gliding snow
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
Over the last two days, lots of snow has fallen in the north down to low altitudes. This snow has been transported significantly by sometimes stormy northerly winds and also by the Bise wind on Friday. In the south, it was mainly looser old snow that was transported. This has resulted in snowdrift accumulations in all regions; in the north these accumulations are large. On wind-protected north-facing slopes, fresh and drifted snow is lying on very loose snow. On south-facing slopes, meanwhile, it is often lying on a Layer of hard-compacted snow resulting from a melt-freeze process or wind.EAWS glossary up to high altitudes. In many cases, the surface of the Snow layers deposited from earlier precipitation, prior to fresh fallen snow. Old snow layers consist of metamorphosed snow crystals.EAWS glossary has also been shaped by the wind and is irregular.
In the upper part of the Snow layers deposited from earlier precipitation, prior to fresh fallen snow. Old snow layers consist of metamorphosed snow crystals.EAWS glossary, in locations sheltered from the wind there is a burried 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 layer in which avalanches may still be triggered. In the inneralpine regions of Valais and in Grisons in particular, avalanches are also possible in 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 near the ground.
Weather review for Friday
During the night, there was widespread snowfall down to low altitudes, but only isolated snowfall in the northeast during the day. During the course of the day, it was quite sunny in the far west, in Valais and in the south.
Fresh snow
From Thursday afternoon until precipitation stopped on Friday, the following amounts fell above 1000 m:
- Northern flank of the Alps east of the Wildstrubel, northern Lower Valais: 15 to 30 cm
- less elsewhere; dry in the south.
In total, the following amounts of snow have fallen since the onset of precipitation on Wednesday afternoon:
- Northern flank of the Alps east of the Gemmi Pass: 80 to 110 cm
- Northern Alpine ridge west of the Gemmi Pass: 50 to 80 cm
- Other regions of the western part of the northern flank of the Alps and of western Lower Valais, northern Grisons: 30 to 50 cm
- Elsewhere a widespread 10 to 30 cm; dry in the far south
Temperature
At midday at 2000 m, between a cold -10 °C in the north and -6 °C in the south
Wind
- Northerly winds, moderate on the northern flank of the Alps, otherwise strong to stormy, easing somewhat over the course of the day
- Moderate Bise wind in the western Prealps and the Jura
Weather forecast to Saturday
After a clear night, conditions will initially be sunny on Saturday. Clouds will gather from the northwest in the afternoon, and the first snowflakes will fall in the Jura. It will remain sunny in the south and in Grisons.
Fresh snow
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Temperature
Less cold, at midday at 2000 m between -4 °C in the north and +1 °C in the south
Wind
Light to moderate from northerly directions
Outlook
Sunday
There will be heavy cloud cover in the north and a widespread 10 to 20 cm of snowfall down to low altitudes. It will be quite sunny in Valais and the south. The northeasterly wind will be mostly moderate. A strong Bise wind will rise in the Jura and the western Prealps.
The avalanche danger will not change significantly in the north and will decrease in the south.
Monday
After the weather calms during the night, on Monday strong northwesterly winds will set in as the day progresses as well as intense snowfall in the north. The snowfall level will remain at low altitudes. It will be quite sunny in the far south.
The avalanche danger will increase significantly in the north in the afternoon. There will be no significant change in the south.