Churfirsten and Rhine Valley
Flumserberg
Day Risk Profile
Avalanche Problems
Wind slab
2=
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.
Snowpack & Weather
Snowpack
New snow and drifted snow from the past week is lying on 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, especially on wind-protected shady slopes. South of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine, the entire Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary is often faceted and loose. In addition, with the strong southerly winds at times, some highly visible, prone-to-triggering wind slabs have formed over the past three days. On the southern flank of the Alps, the fresh snow from the weekend was deposited on top of an equally weak snowpack.
It is possible for medium and large-sized avalanches to be triggered in the Snow layers deposited from earlier precipitation, prior to fresh fallen snow. Old snow layers consist of metamorphosed snow crystals.EAWS glossary over a wide area. The Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary on northern and eastern slopes in Valais and northern Grisons is particularly prone to triggering. Avalanches may also be triggered in isolated cases in the old snowpack on the northern flank of the Alps. Remote triggering, sometimes over long distances, is still possible.
Weather review for Monday
It was mostly cloudy in the south and some snow fell at times on the southern flank of the Alps above approximately 1200 m. In the north, it was quite sunny with foehn winds.
Fresh snow
A few centimetres in the southern Simplon region and in Valle Maggia
Temperature
At midday at 2000 m, between +2 °C in the north and -3 °C in the south
Wind
From southeast to south, easing
- Moderate foehn wind in the north
- Elsewhere mostly light to moderate.
Weather forecast to Tuesday
In Ticino and southern Grisons, it will be mostly overcast with some snow at times. Elsewhere it will be mostly sunny.
Fresh snow
Southern Simplon region, Ticino and southern Grisons: up to 5 cm
Temperature
At midday at 2000 m, around 0 °C in the north and -4 °C in the south
Wind
Moderate to strong southerly foehn wind in the north, light to moderate elsewhere
Outlook to Thursday
On Wednesday it will be sunny. On Thursday it will be sunny at times in the west and mostly sunny in the east. Winds will mainly be light.
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.