Lechquellen Mountains

Generally favorable conditions. Caution urged on steep shady slopes.

Generally favorable conditions. Caution urged on steep shady slopes.

Isolated avalanches can still be triggered by winter sports enthusiasts, particularly in little-skied backcountry terrain where the surface is not capable of bearing loads. Danger zones occur especially in spots where the snow is relatively shallow, and in transitions from shallow to deep snow. Avalanches can trigger down to deeper layers inside the snowpack and grow to large size. A cautious route selection and maintaining safety distances between tourers on ascents and descents are recommended. On hard-frozen steep slopes, the danger of sliding and falling require special caution. During the course of the day, likelihood of naturally triggered small wet-snow avalanches triggering increases somewhat on sunny, steep slopes.

The snowpack following a night of clear skies and good longwave outgoing radiation is predominantly well consolidated, mostly with a melt-freeze crust capable of bearing loads, which then softens up during the daytime hours on sunny days slopes. On north-facing slopes, a rain crust extenty regionally up to 2300-2500m. The mid-sedtion of the snowpack consists of well-settled, consolidated layers where shady slopes at high altitudes are blanketed over by large-sized cup-shaped crystals.

Initially it will be predominantly sunny, with only high-altitude cloudbanks. During the course of the day, often large convective cloud build up will occur, but the tendency towards showers will be low. Temperature at 2000m: -2 to +2 degrees; at 3000m: -7 degrees. Light-to-moderate southerly winds at high altitudes, brisker during the afternoon hours.

No significant change is anticipated. The persistent weak layer problem on shady high-altitude slopes will persist. Frequency of danger zones is gradually receding.