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Avalanche danger forecast for
Friday 1/14/2022


 

AVALANCHE DANGER  

Thermal inversions and rising temperatures.

Friday 1/14/2022
  

> 2600 m

   

Main avalanche problem: wind-drifted snow
Recent accumulations of different thickness (even up to 1 meter), widespread at all aspects above 2600 m and in the consolidation phase. The increase in temperatures and solar radiation have a superficial impact on the snowpack, humidifying the surface layers for the time being. However, at night, they freeze well despite the thermal inversion.

Triggered avalanches
The diffusion and thickness of the accumulations increase with the altitude especially in the W and N sectors of the Region, not always identifiable or avoidable
. Moving towards the center of the valley and the S-SE of the Region they are smaller and less widespread. Mainly above 2600 m, a skier/hiker can trigger small/medium surface soft slabs on very steep slopes, in particular close to the ridges, in the gullies and on slope changes.

Natural avalanches
Sluffs of loose snow, even wet, from very steep sunny slopes and rocky bands during the daily hottest hours.
Some slabs, mostly of small/medium size, on very steep sides close to slope changes in slope or under the ridges and at the base of the rock bands above 2300-2500 m.


AVALANCHE DANGER TREND  Saturday 15:    Sunday 16:  

Constant or at most gradually decreasing. Temperatures rise again on Saturday, falling on Sunday.


GENERAL CONDITION
updated to 1/13/2022
 

Snow cover
The snow cover remains irregular, it decreases in the center of the valley and moving eastwards. The sunny slopes have much less snow, even at mid-mountain altitudes, than those in the shadow. Below 2000 m the snow cover is very scarce. It improves with altitude, especially in the north-west, but even here the action of the wind has worked a lot the fresh snow.

Snowpack stability
Stability is good in the old snowpack. In the NW sector, the recent snow, associated with the action of the wind, causes surface instability, especially where the new accumulations rest on very smooth surfaces (rain or melt). These accumulations are generally soft, or poorly compacted by the wind, just close to ridges and passes the wind has hardened them more. The internal and basal layers are composed of faceted crystals and depth hoar, partly rounded, on the cold slopes and of freezing crusts of various thickness on the southern slopes.

Avalanches reported last 24h
No avalanche reported.

Skiability
Variable according to the zones. Especially improved in the north-west, where recent snow is cold, powder or a little compacted by the wind. On the sunniest very steep slopes, the surface humidifies during the day and crusts begin to form at different altitudes. Where the wind has blown the most and where it has snowed the less the old crusts, very hard and smooth, or the eroded bumps outcrop: here the crampons are still useful and beware stones or roughness, just hidden by the fresh snow.

Weather forecast

SNOW AND WEATHER CONDITIONS OF THE 7 LAST DAYS  
Monte Bianco Gran San Bernardo Gran Paradiso Monte Rosa

EUROPEAN AVALANCHE DANGER SCALE Rising avalanche danger during the day
 
5
VERY HIGH
 
4
HIGH
 
3
CONSIDERABLE
 
2
MODERATE
 
1
LOW

TYPICAL AVALANCHE PROBLEMS   CRITICAL LOCATIONS
NEW SNOW
WIND-DRIFTED SNOW
PERSISTENT WEAK
LAYERS
WET SNOW
GLIDING SNOW
IN BLACK: THE MORE CRITICAL ASPECTS AND ELEVATIONS
Snow and avalanche bulletin n° 45 issued on 1/13/2022 at 00:00 p.m.
Valid outside the ski runs controlled and managed by the ski resorts.
For an accurate interpretation of the Bulletin, go here