Pre Alps

Continuing winds will generate more trigger-prone snowdrifts

Continuing winds will generate more trigger-prone snowdrifts

Strong-to-stormy westerly winds will generate trigger-prone snowdrift accumulations during the course of the day, near to and distant from ridges on steep slopes, behind discontinuities, in gullies and bowls. Small-to-medium avalanches can be triggered by 1 person. Backcountry undertakings require experience in assessing dangers on-site. Isolated glide-snow avalanches are still possible. Avoid zones below glide cracks. In case of extended bright intervals, small loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally.

The fresh fallen snow has settled and stabilized. As a result of strong-to-stormy westerly winds, further and far-reaching snowdrift accumulations will be generated over the course of the day, at high altitudes deposited atop soft layers and prone to triggering. Inside the drifted masses and fresh snow are weak layers (sometimes graupel). Prior to the snowfall the slopes were bare up to intermediate altitudes. The fresh snow lies on bare ground or a moist snowpack and is well bonded. The snowpack is often wet down to the ground, and tends towards gliding downhill as a mass. Small glide-snow avalanches are being observed on slopes which before were bare of snow.

Nocturnal hours: Variably cloudy skies, a cold night, sporadic light showes in the NW barrier cloud regions. Friday daytime: A few hours will be dry, in afternoon snowfall will set in from the north. On Friday night the snowpack will grow further. At 2000 m: -9 to -5 degrees. Strong-to-stormy westerly winds.

Until the end of the week, fresh snow will arrive in several bouts, focus in NW barrier cloud regions between Verwall, Arlberg and Bregenzerwald. The avalanche situation will remain tense.