Bregenzerwald Mountains

Heed fresh snowdrift accumulations at high altitudes

Heed fresh snowdrift accumulations at high altitudes

At high altitudes partly moderate, but mostly low avalanche danger prevails. Fresh snowdrift accumulations on steep shady slopes are prone to triggering. Danger zones lie behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. They increase in frequency with ascending altitude and over the course of the day. Apart from the risks of being buried in snow masses, the danger of falls needs to be taken into consideration. Weak layers inside the old snowpack are triggerable in very isolated cases by large additional loadin. They are found esp. on very steep NW/N/NE facing slopes above 2500 m and in transitions from shallow to deeper snow.

On shady slopes at high altitudes there is still powder or surface hoar. On south-facing slopes at high altitudes there is a melt-freeze crust or wind-pressed surfaces. Fresh snow and drifts are poorly bonded with the old snowpack surface with increasing altitude. On very steep shady slopes in particular, unfavourable intermediate layers are evident. Over recent days many very steep shady slopes were skied, and no avalanche triggerings were registered.

Nocturnal hours: a weak front will bring light rainfall and some fresh snowfall above 700 m. Wednesday: Between Bregenzerwald and Arlberg there will be light to moderate snowfall. During the afternoon the snowfall level will ascend to nearly 2000 m. At 2000 m: -7 to -1 degree. Strong to stormy westerly winds.

Thursday will begin with fog and gray skies, rainfall and snow showers. Later on the clouds will disperse somewhat, in the mountains a strong-to-stormy westerly wind will be blowing. At high altitudes, more trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations will be generated. Where there is rainfall the snowpack will forfeit firmness on the surface.