Lechquellen Mountains

Glide-snow avalanches persist. Snowdrift accumulations increase with ascending altitude.

Glide-snow avalanches persist. Snowdrift accumulations increase with ascending altitude.

Avalanche danger is considerable. Main problem: gliding snow. On steep smooth slopes in all aspects agove 2400 m, medium glide-snow avalanches are possible, indicated by glide cracks. No current risk of dry-snow avalanches, at most superficial layers or older drifts could trigger, usually only with large additional loading. A cautious route selection is advised. Caution near cornices, which could break. On sunny slopes, mostly small loose-snow avalanches can be expected if there is solar radiation. Apart from the danger of being buried in snow, the risks of being forced to take a fall need to be taken into consideration.

Snow was irregularly distributed during the last few days due to storm-strength winds. Crests and ridges are utterly windblown, gullies and bowls and zones behind protruberances are filled to the brim with drifted snow. Older drifts are often hardened, many surfaced are wind-compacted. The drifts are bonding well with the snowpack beneath them. Fresher drifts have weak intermediate layers, sometimes with graupel, and are prone to triggering. The fresh snow has settled well. At intermediate altitudes the snowpack is often moist down to the ground. The weight-load of the fresh snow reinforces the process of gliding over smooth ground.

Nocturnal hours: Clear skies, dry, good outgoing radiation. Wednesday daytime: A sunny and mild day, merely thin clouds above summit level. At 2000 m: +6 degrees. Moderate to brisk W/SW winds.

Thursday morning will be sunny but have diffuse light conditions. The danger of dry-snow avalanches is not expected to change significantly. Danger of glide-snow avalanches will persist.