Koralpe East

Moderate danger of slab avalanches at high altitudes. Beware fresh snowdrift accumulations

Moderate danger of slab avalanches at high altitudes. Beware fresh snowdrift accumulations

Storm winds and some fresh snowfall will generate small fresh snowdrift accumulations, esp. on N/E/S facing slopes above 1600 m. Unfavourable: entries into gullies and bowls, behind protruberances in the terrain. Slab avalanches can trigger even from the weight of 1 persons, mostly small-to-medium size. Glide-snow avalanches can still release at any time of day in all aspects on very steep wooded or leafy slopes and on smooth rocky slopes.

There has been a few cm of fresh snow registered with heavy wind impact. Tonight and tomorrow, more. Plus stormy winds, leading to deep snowdrifts down to the treeline. Weak layers are evident inside the snow (soft deposits). In addition, bonding to the encrusted snowpack with faceted crystals on the surface or near crusts is poor. Rain impact is destabilizing the snowpack and making it forfeit its firmness. The snowpack base is moist/wet up to intermediate altitudes, leading to a gliding snow problem

As a consequence of the stormy NW air current, instable air masses haved moved over the northern flank of the Alps bringing heavy snowfall, with the focal point now moving eastwards. Major areas of heavy snow are in the Northern Alps (Totes Gebirge, Gesäuse, Hochschwab region) and northern Niedere Tauern. Between Friday evening and Saturday evening another 50-100 cm of fresh snow was registered. On the southern flank of the Alps, less fresh snow ha fallen, up to 30 cm is expected from Gurktal Alps to Gleinalm, depending on how much the snowfall extends over the Alps; 20-40 cm in the eastern rimline ranges. Snowfall level will fluctuate in the eastern part of the Northern Alps between 800 and 1200 m, higher in Niedere Tauern. Towards Turrach and Seetal Alps at 1000-1400 m. In the eastern regions, colder, thus snowfall comes down to lower altitudes. Less snowfall is expected along the Styrian rimline ranges. At 2000 m: -4 degrees in the north; on the southern flank of the Alps, -2 degrees.

On Saturday night the precipitation will taper off or come to an end. On Sunday only minor snow showers, dispersing clouds on the southern flank of the Alps. The zero-degree level will ascend noticeably, in afternoon in the south at 2000 m. The snowdrift situation will gradually calm.