Bregenzerwald Mountains

Treacherous backcountry avalanche situation due to fresh snow and snowdrifts

Treacherous backcountry avalanche situation due to fresh snow and snowdrifts

Fresh snow and fresh snowdrift accumulations are often triggerable by one sole skier and then possibly growing to medium size. Danger zones tend to increase with ascending altitude, particularly on steep shady slopes, behind protruberances in the landscape and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Particularly with solar radiation, naturally triggered loose-snow and slab avalanches of medium size are possible. Activities in backcountry demand experience in avalanche danger assessment. In isolated cases, small slab avalanches can be triggered on high-altitude extremely steep shady slopes also in the old snow.

The large amounts of fresh fallen snow are often being transported by intermittently strong winds. Fresh snow and snowdrifts are poorly-to-moderately bonded with the often soft layers of the old snowpack. The snowdrifts are often blanketed by fresh snowfall, the snowpack below them is generally well consolidated. At lower altitudes the fresh snow often falls on bare ground.

During the nocturnal hours, clouds will dominate, light snowfall is expected between 900 and 1100m. Wednesday morning will begin with densely clouded skies and final snow showers in the Bregenzerwald, thereafter clouds will rapidly disperse and sunshine will soon prevail with only a few clouds. At 2000m: -5 to 1 degree Brisk to strong W/SW winds.

Fresh snow and drifts remain prone to triggering