Verwall Mountains West

Main dangers: fresh snowdrift accumulations and weak old snow

Main dangers: fresh snowdrift accumulations and weak old snow

Avalanche danger above 1800 m is moderate, danger below that altitude is low. Triggering fresh snowdrift accumulations is possible even by minimum additional loading. The fresh snowdrifts are triggerable mostly on NW/N/E facng slopes. Danger zones occur esp. in steep ridgeline terrain, in gullies, bowls and behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain. The frequency of danger zones increases with ascending altitude. In addition, isolated avalanches can be triggered in the weak old snowpack, particularly above 2400m, esp. in seld-tracked shady steep terrain. Transition zones from shallow to deep snow require special caution, e.g. at entries into gullies and bowls. Avalanche triggerings are possible especially by large additional loading. A prudent route selection is recommended. At intermediate and high altitudes on smooth, steep slopes, isolated glide-snow avalanches are still possible.

There was 10-20 cm of fresh snow registered last night, accompanied by strong wind impact, which was deposited atop an old snowpack surface of springtime temperatures. Usually a melt-freeze crust dominated the surfaces, thus, the fresh snow and drifts bond will with the rough-hewn surface. The stability of the snowpack is poorer in wind-protected shady high altitude terrain with expansively metamorphosed layers atop which the fresh snow will lie. At intermediate altitudes there is only little snow on the ground. At low altitudes the snow will often fall on bare ground. At mid-level inside the snowpack there are faceted layers. More deeply embedded weak layers are generally unlikely to trigger, if at all, then in transitions from shallow to deep snow. These danger zones are not visible to the naked eye.

Today will be cold and it will be windy in the mountains. Visibility will be severely reduced due to snowfall and dense clouds. Only light snowfall during the daytime hours, intensifying this evening and during the night. At 2000 m: -5 degrees. Initially strong W/NW winds will transport the fresh fallen snow, later the winds will ease.

Brisk to strong NE/E winds will make it feel even colder on Sunday. Compact cloudbanks will bring a bit of snowfall from Kleinwalsertal over the Arlberg regions into the Verwall. Elsewhere it will remain dry. Avalanche danger levels will recede only slowly.