Lechquellen Mountains

Swift daytime rise in avalanche danger

Swift daytime rise in avalanche danger

Due to warmth and solar radiation, increasing likelihood of wet-snow avalanches triggering, esp. on sun-drenched slopes. Naturally triggered medium-to-large sized wet-snow avalanches are possible. On smooth, steep grassy slopes and rock plates, glide-snow avalanches are possible. Activities in open terrain should be started early, terminated early. Above 2200 m, weak layers are evident inside the old snowpack, mostly in steep shady terrain. Medium slab avalanches are possible by large additional loading.

The snowpack is thoroughly wet up well into intermediate altitude terrain, and wet down to the ground. Variably cloudy skies on Monday night will generated a melt-freeze crust, sometimes capable of bearing loads, which softens up during the daytime on Tuesday, making the snowpack lose its firmness, and wet-snow / glide-snow avalanches possible in steep terrain. At high altitudes, older snowdrift accumulations have soft layers embedded, which are unlikely to trigger. Below 1500m on shady slopes there is not much snow on the ground.

Nocturnal hours: scattered clouds in the early part of the night, then becoming denser, but it will remain dry. Thursday: cloud layers widespread, hampering the sunshine, shading it during the afternoon. It will remain dry, zero-degree level at 2700m. At 2000 m: 1-6 degrees. Brisk to strong W/SW winds.

Friday will bring precipitation by midday, temperatures will drop, avalanche danger could increase. Danger of wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches must still be heeded, esp. in regions with rain impact.