Lechquellen Mountains

Main danger: weak old snowpack layers. Fresh snowdrifts require caution.

Main danger: weak old snowpack layers. Fresh snowdrifts require caution.

Particularly in high-altitude ridgeline and pass areas, as well as behind drops in the terrain, fresh snowdrift accumulations are easy to trigger. It is possible to trigger slab avalanches in the old snow particularly by large additional loading. If a release sweeps away the entire snowpack the avalanche can grow to medium size. Danger zones are located especially on steep shady slopes, but also in wind-loaded gullies and bowls in all aspects. Whumpf noises and fractures on the surface are alarm signals. Activities in outlying terrain away from secured ski runs require experience in evaluating the terrain and assessment of avalanche dangers.

There has been 5-10cm of fresh snow, in places transported by strong-velocity winds. Particularly in ridgeline and pass areas, fresh, usually small drifted masses occur. Especially where fresh snow and drifts are deposited on top of surface hoar or on loosely-packed old snowpack layers, the bonding is moderate-to-poor. The old snowpack is overall unfavorably structured. Intermediate layers inside the snow cover continue to be only moderately bonded to each other.

In the morning hours, sunshine will dominate, on foehn-exposed mountains the southerly winds will gradually intensify. Towards midday, high-altitude cloudbanks will push the sun into the background. At high altitudes, temperatures will rise measurably. At 2000m: -5 to +2 degrees; at 3000m: -8 to -3 degrees. Moderate to brisk southwesterly winds at high altitudes, gusts reaching strong velocity in the foehn-exposed mountain regions.

At high altitudes, the unfavorably structured snowpack is the main danger. Depending on fresh snow and drifts, avalanche danger can increase on Wednesday.