Unusually many avalanches reported to Tirol Headquarters
Extraordinary is the only way to describe the day with regard to avalanches reported to Headquarters Tirol. In sum, there were 26 (!):
09:56 am: avalanche Ski Area Rohrberg / Zell/Ziller (unknown persons buried)
10:01 am: avalanche Ski Area Horberg / Schwendau (unknown persons buried)
10:06 am: negative avalanche Adler Lounge / Kals am Großglockner
10:21 am: negative avalanche Hochsinnalm / Weerberg
10:27 am: negative avalanche Kreuzjochbahn / Fulpmes
10:53 am: avalanche Sledding Run Gaislachkogel / Sölden (1 buried person)
11:16 am: negative avalanche Rettenbachalm / Sölden
11:21 am: avalanche Kleiner Rettenstein / Kirchberg (presumed: 1 buried person)
11:31 am: negative avalanche Lansergraben avalanche /Lans
11:31 am: avalanche Sonnenspitze - Schartenkogellift / Tulfes (1 injured person)
12:13 pm: negative avalanche Speicherbecken Gaisbergbach / Sölden
12:58 pm: negative avalanche Joelspitze / Alpbach
13:01 pm: negative avalanche Fimbatal / Ischgl
13:10 pm: avalanche Roßköpfe / Ötz (unknown persons buried)
13:24 pm: avalanche Grüblspitze / Tux (1 buried person)
13:25 pm: negative avalanche Tscheyeck / Nauders
13:42 pm: negative avalanche Hohe Aifner Spitze / Kaunerberg
14:07 pm: avalanche Mutterrinnen / St. Leonhard im Pitztal (1 injured person)
14:27 pm: negative avalanche Sennjoch / Telfes
14:32 pm: avalanche Ochsenkopf / Fendels (presumed: 1 buried person)
14:43 pm: avalanche Plangger / Fendels (unknown persons buried)
15:07 pm: negative avalanche Plattachbahn / Sölden
15:15 pm: negative avalanche Übungsklettersteig Kreuzjoch / Telfes
15:50 pm: negative avalanche Saile (Nockspitze) / Götzens
16:45 pm: avalanche, extended steep slope Venet / Zams (unknown persons buried)
18:03 pm: negative avalanche Widdersbergsattel / Axams
According to latest information, 2 persons were injured.
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| Avalanche Sonnenspitze / Tulfes. Entry track and spot of burial. North, 40-45°, 2060m. The person, already unconcious, was dug out by comrades. (photo: 03.02.2022) |
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| Snow profile at the Sonnenspitze avalanche. The fracture occurred beneath a thin melt-freeze crust atop a weak layer of faceted crystals. (c) Alpine Police |
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| Avalanche in open terrain at Sölden Ski Area. One person was completely buried and was able to be rescued swiftly without injuries since one arm jutted out of the snow. (photo: 03.02.2022) |
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| Snow profile at avalanche in open terrain at Sölden Ski Area. Arrow points to the weak layer connected to the release: faceted crystals beneath a thin melt-freeze crust. 2200m, 37°m East (c) Tobias Holzknecht |
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| Avalanche Horberg. Arrow points to entry track into the avalanche. (photo: (c) Alois Sötckl, 03.02.2022) |
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| Avalanche Kleiner Rettenstein. Extensive search operation. For a long period a buried person was assumed; ultimately it proved that no one was caught in the avalanche. (photo: 03.02.2022) |
Numerous naturally triggered avalanches, particularly on 02.02.2022
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| Slab avalanche Gallreideschrofen in Gschnitztal, naturally triggered during the snowfall-and-storm-wind period on 2 February. (photo: 03.02.2022) |
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| Naturally triggered ridgeline slab in East Tirolean Tauern on 2 February (photo: 03.02.2022) |
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| Slab avalanche, presumably from solar radiation on 3 February triggering naturally. Nockspitze / Stubai Alps (photo: 03.02.2022) |
Highly successful artificial triggerings
Our experiences proved correct: the combination of abundant fresh snow, wind and rising temperatures during the second period of precipitation led to far reaching large-area “slabs” full of internal tension being generated. These were frequently released with explosives, sometimes very large avalanches.
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| Artificially triggered avalanche above Schlick Ski Area 2000 in the Kalkkögeln. (photo: 03.02.2022) |
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| Artificial triggering in the Kühtai - northern Stubai Alps (photo: 03.02.2022) |
Short review of the period of precipitation
As mentioned earlier, the ZAMG Weather Service forecasts were extremely accurate. North Tirol and northern East Tirol got huge amounts of snowfall between Monday, 31.1 and Wednesday 2.2.
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| 72-hr difference in overall snow depths. More than 200 cm of fresh snow was registered in barrier regions. |
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| Top rung: Alplhütte north of Telfs. Between 31.1 and 2.2 during the night, more than 250 mm of precipitation was measured. |
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| Typical weather station graph for regions with heaviest precipitation: fresh snow in two bouts. Strong-to-storm strength winds plus rising temperatures. Ulmer Refuge / Arlberg region |
Initially a still treacherous avalanche situation for winter sports enthusiasts
True, we were able to scale back the danger level from “high” to “considerable” for tomorrow, 4 February. Nevertheless, we are contending with a very delicate avalanche situation for skiers/boarders. What remains problematic are the thin weak layers near the surface of the old snowpack prior to the recent snowfall. These are frequently found in wind-protected shady terrain above forest clearances, but also on sunny slopes at high altitudes. The positive side: the existing weak layers inside the fresh fallen snow, particularly those in the form of graupel layers, are not expected to be a disturbance in the next few days.
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| Outdoors in moderately steep, sunny terrain. Here, a safe and enjoyable tour was possible on 3 February. Unfortunately, snow quality suffered through solar radiation. |
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| In the regions where snowfall was heaviest, increasingly frequent glide-snow avalanches and slides will soon be observed on grass-covered slopes. Gschnitztal (03.02.2022) |
