“Unstable snow cover” – warning level four: Deadly danger lurks on mountains!

After the recent snowfalls, the Tyrolean mountains are at a widespread avalanche warning level 4 of the five-part scale! How dangerous the situation is at the moment was shown on Friday afternoon in Ötztal, where a 32-year-old freerider died. Above the tree line in particular, the danger is enormous. The avalanche warners appeal: “The current situation requires great restraint!”

The snowpack is widely unstable. “Since Thursday, 30 to 50 centimeters of fresh snow have fallen, locally more. The strong wind transported the fresh snow intensively,” says the Tyrolean avalanche warning service. The conditions away from the pistes remain very tricky! More snowfall is to be expected on Saturday. “With the storm, the snowdrift accumulations continue to grow.” Individual athletes can trigger avalanches. Medium and large avalanches are to be expected – even spontaneously. “The danger relates primarily to alpine snow sports terrain. Fresh snow and snowdrifts can be triggered very easily at all exposures, even by individual winter sports enthusiasts. The danger spots are widespread and hardly recognizable even for experienced users. Caution also in the area of ​​the tree line and below the tree line”, the experts emphasize. The current avalanche situation requires great restraint. Secured slopes should not be left. “The current avalanche situation requires a lot of experience in assessing it!”
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