Avalanche Danger Scale

Danger level	Icon	Snowpack stability	Avalanche triggering probability
5 - Very high		The snowpack is poorly bonded and largely unstable in general.	Numerous large-sized and often very large-sized natural avalanches can be expected, even in moderately steep terrain.
4 - High		The snowpack is poorly bonded on most steep slopes.	Triggering is likely even from low additional loads** on many steep slopes. In some cases, numerous medium-sized and often large-sized natural avalanches can be expected.
3 - Considerable		The snowpack is moderately to poorly bonded on many steep slopes*.	Triggering is possible, even from low additional loads** particularly on the indicated steep slopes*. In some cases medium-sized, in isolated cases large-sized natural avalanches are possible.
2 - Moderate		The snowpack is only moderately well bonded on some steep slopes*, otherwise well bonded in general.	Triggering is possible primarily from high additional loads**, particularly on the indicated steep slopes*. Large-sized natural avalanches are unlikely.
1 - Low		The snowpack is well bonded and stable in general.	Triggering is generally possible only from high additional loads** in isolated areas of very steep, extreme terrain. Only sluffs and small-sized natural avalanches are possible.

• * The avalanche-prone locations are described in greater detail in the avalanche bulletin (altitude, slope aspect, type of terrain)
  • moderately steep terrain: slopes shallower than 30 degrees
    
  • steep slope: slopes stepper than 30 degrees
    
  • very steep, extreme terrain: adverse slope angle (more than 40 degrees), terrain profile, proximity to ridge, smoothness of underlying ground surface
    
  
  
• ** additional loads:
  
  • low: individual skier / snowboarder, riding softly, not falling; snowshoer; group with good spacing (minimum 10m) keeping distances
    
  • high: two or more skiers / snowboarders etc. without good spacing (or without intervals); snowmachine; explosives; single hiker/climber
    

_{last update: 28-DEC-2010}