Lechquellen Mountains

Heed snowdrift accumulations at high altitudes

Heed snowdrift accumulations at high altitudes

Considerable avalanche danger prevails. Main danger: fresh snowdrift accumulations. Danger zones occur behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. They increase in size and frequency during the course of the day. Small to medium slab avalanches can be triggered by one sole skier. Activities in backcountry demand experience in assessing the terrain and avalanche dangers on-site. In areas with rain impact in all aspects, slides and small wet-snow avalanches can be expected. On steep smooth grass-covered slopes, glide-snow avalanches are also possible.

There has been 20-30 cm of frsh snow registered at high altitudes, deposited atop a moist, compact and settled snowpack surface. Intermittent strong westerly winds transported the snow, generated new snowdrifts. Fresh and older drifts are increasingly prone to triggering with ascending altitude. Due to rain, mild temperatures and reduced nocturnal outgoing radiation, the snowpack has been weakened at intermediate altitudes.

Nocturnal hours: the foehn terminated during the night, skies became cloudy, after midnight heavy rainfall set in (snowfall above 1600m). Tuesday: snowfall, level at 1600-1300m. The precipitation will turn to showers, the snowfall level descend by evening to nearly 1000 m. At 2000 m: descending from -1 to -6 degrees. Strong westerly winds.

Wednesday will bring snow showers, later on the clouds will disperse. At 2000 m: -10 to -8 degrees, still very cold. Avalanche danger is not expected to change significantly. The risk of wet avalanches will decrease noticeably.