Lechquellen Mountains

Caution urged towards trigger-sensitive snowdrifts at high altitudes

Caution urged towards trigger-sensitive snowdrifts at high altitudes

The major problem: freshly generated snowdrifts. Avalanche prone locations are found mostly in W-N-SE facing steep ridgeline terrain and wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Slab avalanches can be triggered by one single person. At high altitudes the triggerings can grow to large size. Activities in outlying terrain away from secured ski pistes require much experience in assessing avalanche dangers in open terrain. Furthermore, at low and intermediate altitudes on steep, grassy slopes and hillsides in all aspects, increasingly frequent naturally triggered small-to-medium sized glide-snow avalanches can be expected.

The fresh fallen snow of the last few days was transported by strong winds and formed new snowdrift accumulations. With increasing altitude they become more prone to triggering. The fresh snow and drifts are often poorly bonded to the old snowpack or to the latest layers inside the snowpack. Particularly on very steep shady slopes above about 2200m the snowpack shows evidence of unfavourable intermediate layers. At low altitudes the snow fell on bare ground. There is currently only little data available to the Avalanche Warning Service about the snowpack.

Mostly sunny but very cold weather is coming to the mountains. In early morning the clouds will quickly disperse, in the afternoon clouds from the southwest will move in above summit level, creating diffuse light. Temperature at 2000m: -10 to -6 degrees. Brisk winds at high altitude, in the afternoon blowing at strong velocity from west to southwest.

On Thursday, snowfall and higher temperatures for a brief period. Subsequently conditions will remain instable. The avalanche situation is not expected to change significantly to begin with. The next avalanche bulletin will be published on Friday at latest.