Kaiser Mountains - Waidring Alps

Fresh wind slabs require caution.

Fresh wind slabs require caution.

The fresh wind slabs are to be evaluated with care and prudence in steep terrain. As a consequence of new snow and a sometimes strong wind from northerly directions, mostly small wind slabs formed at elevated altitudes. The small quantity of fresh snow as well as the wind slabs to be found above all adjacent to risgelines and in gullies and bowls are lying on the unfavourable surface of an old snowpack on very steep, little used shady slopes above the tree line. In very isolated cases avalanches can be triggered in the faceted old snow and reach medium size. Caution is to be exercised in areas where the snow cover is rather shallow. Apart from the danger of being buried, restraint should be exercised as well in view of the danger of avalanches sweeping people along and giving rise to falls.

In some regions 10 to 15 cm of snow has fallen. Since Monday the wind has been strong to storm force over a wide area. The wind will transport the fresh and old snow. The fresh wind slabs are lying on weak layers in particular on very steep shady slopes above the tree line. As a consequence of mild temperatures and solar radiation the snow drift accumulations stabilised. In very isolated cases weak layers exist in the centre of the snowpack. This applies in particular on very steep shady slopes above approximately 2400 m. At elevated altitudes snow depths vary greatly, depending on the infuence of the wind.

Fresh wind slabs require caution.