Bregenzerwald Mountains

Weak old snow and fresh snowdrifts prone to triggering

Weak old snow and fresh snowdrifts prone to triggering

Fresh fallen snow and freshly generated snowdrifts are poorly bonded with the weak old snowpack. One single person can trigger slab avalanches in the drifts and old snow. If the fracture sweeps away the entire snowpack, the release can grow to medium size. Danger zones are located in all aspects, but especially on shady slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Frequency and spread of avalanche prone locations increase with ascending altitude. Activities in backcountry demand defensive conduct.

Fresh snowfall is anticipated: 15-30cm, as much as 50cm in Verwall and Lechquellengebirge. It will be transported by intermittently strong to storm-strength westerly winds. The fresh snow and fresh snowdrifts since Thursday frequently lie deposited atop a loosely-packed, faceted and expansively metamorphosed old snowpack surface or on surface hoar. Bonding is poor. The old snowpack is unfavorably structured.

As nighttime hours come to a close, light snowfall is expected. During daytime hours, snowfall will intensify. Visibility will be severely limited by clouds and snowfall. Temperature at 2000m: -9 degrees; at 3000m: -15 degrees. Strong to storm-strength westerly winds at high altitudes.

As a result of more snowfall and wind, avalanche danger to rise significantly by Sunday