Hochschwab Mountains

Favorable conditions for backcountry tours continue

Favorable conditions for backcountry tours continue

Low danger prevails in Styria. Isolated avalanche prone locations occur on north-facing slopes, where there is a persistent weak layer (deeply embedded). A slab avalanche triggering on extremely steep shady slopes cannot be ruled out. In addition, the southern winds on Friday and Saturday generated shallow snowdrift accumulations, deposited them on north-facing slopes. These are prone to triggering. Avoid zones below glide cracks, due to possible gliding movement of the entire snowpack.

Along the Niedere Tauern and Northern Alps there are shallow fresh snowdrift patches deposited near ridgelines atop surface hoar; elsewhere at high altitude the surfaces are hard and icy. On sunny slopes, foehn conditions prevail. The snowpack is hard in early morninig, softens and moistens during the daytime; at low altitudes it is wet. On extremely steep shady slopes, faceted crystals are weakening the snowpack layering. South of the Mur-Mürz Rift the snowpack is also stable, snow depths are meagre. Melt-freeze and wind crusts tend to dominate.

Sunshine all day long, azure skies, outstanding visibility, not very cold. At 2000 m: +1 degree; on the southern flank of the Alps -1 degree. SW winds will reach 60 km/hr in exposed zones. Monday: sunny and mild, the winds will slacken off.

Little change in the current avalanche situation, the favorable conditions will continue.