Lechquellen Mountains

Small snowdrifts are frequently still prone to triggering

Small snowdrifts are frequently still prone to triggering

Fresh snowdrifts of recent days are frequently still prone to triggering, can be triggered even by minimum additional loading as small-to-medium sized slab avalanches. Danger zones occur primarily on steep ridgeline north-facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Frequency and spread of avalanche prone locations increase with ascending altitude. If avalanches on high-altitude shady slopes fracture down to deeper weak layers, they can in isolated cases then grow to medium size. Such avalanche prone locations occur primarily in spots where the snow is shallow or in transitions from shallow to deep snow. Due to solar radiation, wet slides and small avalanches are possible on very steep sunny slopes.

The fresh snow has bonded well with the widespread melt-freeze crust. Fresh small-to-medium sized snowdrifts of recent days have increasingly consolidated, especially on sunny slopes. On steep south-facing slopes there is a melt-freeze crust capable of bearing loads. The mid-level part of the snowpack consists of well-settled, compact layers widespread which on high-altitude shady slopes cover a poorly structured old snowpack fundament.

Clear and frosty night on Thursday. On Friday, quite sunny with some high-altitude cloudbanks and small convective clouds. Temperature at 2000m: -6 to -1 degree; at 3000m: -11 to -6 degrees. Light-to-moderate northeasterly winds at high altitudes.

Avalanche danger is not immediately expected to change significantly.