Hochschwab Mountains

Storm-strength winds + fresh snow: danger rising to CONSIDERABLE

Storm-strength winds + fresh snow: danger rising to CONSIDERABLE

During the course of the day, avalanche danger will rise to CONSIDERABLE above the treeline. Gale-strength NW winds will generate snowdrifts in all aspects, these will grow in the afternoon hours as snowfall sets in. The snowdrifts are danger zones, can often be triggered even by minimum additional loading and unleash a slab. In the afternoon, poor visibility will make assessing the dangerous spots more difficult.

Gale-strength winds are generating small snowdrift accumulations, often poorly bonded with the snowbase beneath them. Starting on Monday afternoon, fresh snow will be added, increasing the size and frequency of the drifts, which will be deposited atop surface hoar or loosely-packed snow. In addition, more deeply embedded inside the snowpack are weak layers of faceted crystals bordering on melt-freeze crusts, weakening the entire snowpack thereby. They occur only in a few places, are generally triggerable by large additional loading.

On Monday morning, still sunshine. As of midday, cloud cover will move in from the northwest. During the afternoon in the northern barrier cloud regions, snowfall will set in. In the Northern Alps, gale-strength NW winds will rage, visibility will deteriorate. South of the Niedere Tauern, weather conditions will be more pleasant, only a small amount of fresh snow is anticipated. At 2000 m: about -7 degrees. On Tuesday, snowfall in the northern barrier cloud regions, stormy NW winds. The south will be more pleasant.

Fresh snowfall and stormy NW winds: increasing avalanche danger levels.