The snow is back in the Free State and led to more than 100 accidents on the roads over the weekend. In the mountains, the risk of avalanches increased due to the fresh snow. At the beginning of the week, according to the forecast of the DWD meteorologists, it will remain largely dry, but there could be snow grains locally. Caution is therefore still required on the roads.
The police headquarters recorded the majority of weather-related traffic accidents on Saturday night. According to police estimates, at least 91 accidents due to slippery roads with mostly minor injuries totaled around 400,000 euros in damage. On the night of Sunday, around a dozen other accidents with minor injuries were added.
Especially at higher altitudes there was a considerable risk of avalanches due to the fresh snow on Sunday. Above 2000 meters in the Allgäu main ridge, the Werdenfelser and Berchtesgaden Alps, the avalanche warning level was 3 out of 5, as announced by the Bavarian avalanche warning service. It was said that slab avalanches could be triggered by individual people close to the ridge and in areas exposed to the wind. In steep rocky terrain, avalanches could even release themselves.
Because of the fresh snow, skiing was also possible again in smaller ski areas. For example, this started at the Brauneck mountain railways near Lenggries on Saturday, as the operator announced. Of the 21 pistes, 14 were open on Sunday, and there was a 50 centimeter layer of snow on the mountain. In the Winklmoosalm ski area in the Chiemgau Alps near Reit im Winkl, the white splendor once again made skiing possible. 17 of the 20 slopes were open on Sunday.
Snow instead of plastic mats was the name of the game at the Hocheck mountain railways in Oberaudorf. With 40 centimeters of snow on the mountain, almost all lifts were open for skiing on Sunday. The operator had previously prepared for the lack of snowfall and laid out a slope with ski mats. Operations should start on Friday. Now the winter weather made for a broader range again.
According to the German Weather Service (DWD), the snowfall should be over by Monday night. The new week starts accordingly cloudy and mostly dry. According to the forecast, it could be sunny on the Alpine peaks. Temperatures will rise to minus three degrees in the Oberallgäu and plus four degrees in the Untermain on Monday during the day.