The sports holiday in Västerbotten County is on the doorstep week 10, and at the same time the assessment of the risk of avalanches in Västra Vindelfjällen is raised to a large one, a four on the five-point scale for avalanche danger.
It is the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's service Lavinprognoser.se that assesses that the danger is great, as precipitation, strong winds and snow drifts are expected.
Most precipitation is expected in the western part of the forecast area, which includes the well-visited ski resorts Hemavan / Tärnaby.
Within the area are the mountain massifs Södra Storfjället, Norra Storfjället and Artfjället.
There are weak layers buried in the snow, and this is confirmed both by tests and by spontaneous avalanches.
New drive snow increases the stress in the snow cover's weaknesses.
Expect many avalanches
- This means that we expect both many and large avalanches.
The weight of a skier or snowmobile rider is considered sufficient to trigger an avalanche, according to the avalanche forecast for the mountain area.
Mountain visitors are advised not to stay in or near avalanche terrain.
You should avoid traveling below steep slopes, especially in narrow valleys.
Areas with thin snow cover, or in the vicinity of rocks or protruding rocks, should also be avoided.
The assessment is that the avalanche danger will decrease slightly until Sunday, to the level Significant avalanche danger.
There is also a great danger of avalanches in Norrbotten in the Kebnekaise area.