Schneeprofil

On December 15, a medium-sized slab avalanche was triggered on the Pirchkogel in the Stubai Alps. No one involved came to any harm. The skiers hit an area with a thin layer of fresh snow and were thus able to initiate the break, which ultimately spread over a large area in the weak layer.

Roughly speaking, there is now an accident-prone old snow problem in Tyrol, especially north of the Inn, as the weaker snowfall means that there is now a perfect slab above the weak layers. Further south, however, the weak layers have not disappeared, but there are far fewer places where slab avalanches can be triggered due to the thicker layers.

Avalanche warning services, PowderAlert and WeatherBlog have intensively discussed the current situation regarding the intensive new snowfall in the south and the build-up of old snow cover. That's why we're devoting ourselves here to an exemplary snow profile from mid-November. How do you read it and how do you interpret it?

In February, it rained several times up to high altitudes. The WeatherBlog has reported on the warm western weather several times. However, especially in the higher areas, the rain only reduces the snow depth, but usually increases the amount or mass of snow.

Apparently, a new type of avalanche prevention device was announced at the ISPO in Munich. The AvyScanner is a small radar that scans the snow cover.

The warm temperatures continue in February. Where it is more like spring in the valley, the touring conditions at altitude are still good, even if the snow depth in Kühtai is slightly below average for mid-February.

Tour planning proved to be rather difficult last week, as an old snow problem in the terrain is not easily recognizable. This makes it all the more important to use your head when planning at home and choose a suitable tour carefully.

You often see that the lower snow layers are missing from profiles, but aren't these also important? Basically yes, but since you can't assess an entire slope with a profile, but "only" (and yet very much) locate the snow layers, snow forms, weak layers, etc., as well as observe fracture initiation and fracture propagation, you don't necessarily have to dig a three-metre-deep hole.

Patrick Nairz has been an avalanche forecaster for the avalanche warning service in Tyrol for over 20 years and is a well-known face in the ski touring scene. Schneestöberer spoke to him about the 5 avalanche problems, his career, his most important contributions to avalanche prevention and about hunting for crusts in the snowpack.

Powder was still to be found on shady slopes and flatter sunny slopes this week, while broken snow was already prevalent on steeper sunny slopes. Sleet deposits could also be observed again and again.

The International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW) brings together scientists and practitioners from a wide range of snow-related fields every two years. New findings and research results are presented in various thematic blocks - so-called sessions. We break the whole thing down into more or less digestible morsels and summarize the sessions of the ISSW2018 for you every two weeks.

The snow surface has taken a turn for the worse again in terms of skiing. After a Christmas season blessed with powder and good weather, the crowds, wind and sun have left their mark. That's why we'd better get back to a snow profile than skiing.