Lechquellen Mountains

Daytime increase of avalanche danger. Beware snowdrifts in high-alpine zones.

Daytime increase of avalanche danger. Beware snowdrifts in high-alpine zones.

Avalanche danger is initially low, then rises during the afternoon above 1600m to moderate. On steep slopes below 2600m which have not yet discharged, medium-sized wet-snow avalanches can trigger naturally or be triggered by persons. Also isolated small-to-medium glide-snow avalanches are possible. In high-alpine zones, fresh snowdrift accumulations require attentiveness, most of them are small but often easily triggered. Danger zones occur in gullies, bowls, behind protruberances in the terrain and on steep shady slopes above 2600m. Isolated small-to-medium avalanches can be triggered by winter sports enthusiasts in the old snow. Avalanche prone locations lie in seldom-tracked shady terrain and are difficult to recognize.

During nights of clear skies, little wind and dry air, the snowpack can consolidate superficially and in many places form a melt-freeze crust capable of bearing loads. Through higher daytime temperatures and solar radiation, the crust then softens rapidly and the snowpack loses its firmness. Beneath the melt-freeze crust the snowpack is thoroughly wet up to high altitudes. At high altitudes there is up to 15cm of fresh snow lying deposited atop the moist old snowpack surface. On south-facing slopes the fresh snow fell on bare ground at intermediate altitudes. In the foehn lanes, fresh trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations can be generated, deposited esp. in high-alpine zones ato soft layers on steep shady slopes and thus, prone to triggering. On very steep shady slopes at high altitudes, unfavorable intermediate layers are often evident inside the old snowpack, particularly in the Silvretta region.

Intermediate high: following a minimally cloudy night, sunshine will dominate on Saturday, with light foehn wind impact. Later on, convective cloud build-up. Temperatures will rise. At 2000m: -2 to +6 degree. Light-to-moderate strength SW winds, stronger in the foehn lanes.

Easter Sunday will be quite sunny. Avalanche danger will be increasingly determined by the daytime danger cycle.