Bregenzerwald Mountains

Main danger: fresh and older snowdrift accumulations and steep shady slopes due to weak snow

Main danger: fresh and older snowdrift accumulations and steep shady slopes due to weak snow

Above 2000 m avalanche danger is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Danger zones are found particularly in steep ridgeline terrain, in wind-loaded gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain. Fresh and older snowdrifts can be triggered even by one sole winter sports enthusiast. In addition, above 2200 m, particularly on steep shady slopes, unfavourably layered old snow is evident. One single winter sports enthusiast can in places trigger small, and with increasing altitude also medium-sized slab avalanches. This must be taken into consideration in all activities in outlying terrain. Apart the risks of being buried in snow masses, the danger of being swept along and forced to take a fall are also to be heeded.

The snowdrift accumulations from recent days are still prone to triggering. The fresh snow was deposited mostly atop a thin melt-freeze crust. In addition, there are crusts bordering against faceted crystal layers above 2200 m on north facing slopes more than anywhere else. These can be triggered by additional loading. These layers are not visible to the naked eye.

Saturday night: mostly star-studded skies, very cold. From the Rhine Valley into Vorderwald, high fogbanks may form. Low temperatures: -4 to -13 degrees, depending on fog. Sunday: cloudless skies to start with, heavy cirrus cloud will move in later on, also making temperature rise another notch. At 2000 m: from -3 to +3 degrees. Moderate to brisk westerly winds at high altitudes.

On Monday the inversion-weather situation will make temperatures higher. Widespread cloudbanks will cause diffuse light conditions. In the medium-high mountain ranges it will be milder than in the valleys. Lows: -7 to -2 degrees. Highs: 1-5 degrees, significantly higher in the medium-high mountains. Avalanche danger levels will not change significantly, but the risk of glide-snow slides will increase somewhat at intermediate and low altitudes.