Bregenzerwald Mountains

Wet-snow avalanches due to rainfall and warmth up to intermediate altitudes. Often weak layer in the old snowpack at high altitudes.

Wet-snow avalanches due to rainfall and warmth up to intermediate altitudes. Often weak layer in the old snowpack at high altitudes.

Avalanache danger is moderate. Due to warmth and rainfall, wet slides and small-to-medium avalanches continue to be possible at low and intermediate altitudes and on steep grassy slopes, as well as small glide-snow avalanches. In addition, above 2200 m particularly on steep shady slopes, unfavourably layered old snowpack layers are evident. In places, small-to-medium slab avalanches can be triggered even by one single winter sports enthusiast. Also, with increasing altitude, small freshly generated snowdrift accumulations require caution, particularly in steep ridgeline terrain, in wind-loaded gullies and bowls and behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain.

As higher temperatures set in and in zones where rain impact was felt there were numerous loose-snow slides and avalanches in all aspects. Also small glide-snow avalanches were observed. The generally shallow snowpack is thoroughly wet up to intermediate altitudes and thus continues to forfeit its firmness. In addition, particularly on steep shady slopes above 2200 m, the snowpack layering is frequently weak. Layers of faceted crystals and depth hoar are prone to triggering with additional loading. These avalanche prone locations are not visible to the naked eye. At higher altitudes loose snow has often been transported and formed small fresh snowdrift accumulations. These tend to become more prone to triggering with ascending altitude. Sunny slopes at intermediate altitudes and other slopes at low altitude are becoming bare of snow.

Wednesday night: short phase of scattered clouds, heavier cloud cover in the latter part of the night, accompanied by light rainfall. The snowfall level will lie at 1700 m. Thursday: heavy and variable cloud cover, changing visibility. Perhaps a bit of sunshine in the morning, in the afternoon more clouds will move in, rainfall will set in, snowfall above 1800 m. It will remain quite mild and storm-strength winds will prevail at high altitudes. At 2000 m: +1 degree. Strong to stormy westerly winds.

Variably conditions will continue, stormy and mild. Snowfall starting at 2000-2300 m. Where rain impact is felt, small-to-medium wet and also glide-snow avalanches can be expected in all aspects from zones where avalanches have not yet released. As a result of the fresh snowdrifts accumulating, avalanche danger in high altitude regions can increase somewhat. The persistent weak layer remains on high-altitude shady slopes.