Verwall Mountains West

Beware small snowdrifts

Beware small snowdrifts

Fresh snowdrifts can trigger medium-sized avalanches even by minimum additional loading. Danger zones occur primarily in steep ridgeline terrain and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Frequency and spread of avalanche prone locations increase with ascending altitude. If avalanches on high-altitude shady slopes fracture down to deeper weak layers, they can in isolated cases then grow to large size. Such avalanche prone locations occur primarily in spots where the snow is shallow or in transitions from shallow to deep snow.

The most recent fresh snow from the weekend has already bonded well with the widespread melt-freeze crusts. Fresh snowdrifts have been generated near ridgelines. The mid-level part of the snowpack consists of well-settled, compact layers widespread which on high-altitude shady slopes cover a poorly structured old snowpack fundament.

During the nighttime hours, heavy cloud cover and some showers passing through from Bregenzerwald to Arlberg and Montafon. Nocturnal snow showers will swiftly taper off, during the morning hours the clouds will gradually disperse. Intermittent sunshine is possible. Temperature at 2000m: -6 to -4 degrees; at 3000m: -10 degrees. Moderate to brisk N/NE winds at high altitudes.

Avalanche danger will continue to slowly diminish overall, but freshly generated snowdrift accumulations require caution.