Bregenzerwald Mountains

Increase in danger due to fresh snow and snowdrifts

Increase in danger due to fresh snow and snowdrifts

The major problem: freshly generated snowdrifts. Avalanche prone locations are found mostly above 1600m on NW-N-E facing steep ridgeline slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Slab avalanches can be triggered by one single person. In areas at low and intermediate altitudes where there is rain impact, increasingly frequent naturally triggered small-to- (in isolated cases) medium sized glide-snow avalanches can be expected on steep, smooth, grassy slopes and hillsides. Small wet-snow avalanches are also possible.

Above 1200m there is already a lot of snow on the ground. The fresh snow was often transported by strong winds, deposited as snowdrift accumulations. These are often still prone to triggering. Fresh snow and snowdrifts have settled somewhat and stabilized slightly, but often are poorly bonded with the old snowpack or inside intermediate layers. At low altitudes the snow fell on bare ground. There is currently little data available to the Avalanche Warning Service about the snowpack.

The day will begin with a warm front and lots of cloud cover, making conditions gray. Light snowfall down to low lying areas in early morning, later turning to sleet and ultimately, to rain in the Rhine Valley and on Lake Constance. The snowfall level will ascend over the course of the day, by afternoon it will lie at 1000m and above. During the night, snowfall and rainfall will continue. Intense snow transport at high altitudes. Temperature at 2000m: -10 to -3 degrees. Strong to stormy W/SW winds at high altitudes.

Conditions will remain instable. Further snowfall down to low lying areas. Avalanche danger levels will increase again. The next avalanche bulletin will be published on Friday at latest.