Pongau Grass Mountains

AVOID wind-loaded areas

AVOID wind-loaded areas

Avalanche danger above 1800 m is CONSIDERABLE, below that altitude danger is LOW, and directly a function of wind impact. A medium-sized slab can be triggered even by minimum additional loading in steep terrain. Danger zones occur near to ridgelines, in high alpine regions also behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain, increasingly on W/S/SE facing slopes and in steep gullies and bowls.

The huge amounts of cold fresh snow over the last few days were able to settle on Sunday in the un-windy and intermittently sunny weather. Previously, on Saturday at high altitudes, strong-to-stormy NW winds transported the snow widespread, depositing new snowdrift accumulations in gullies and on wind-protected slopes. The fracture point for slab avalanches lies at the very cold, loose blanketed snow. Then there are also weak layers inside the old snowpack near melt-freeze crusts and the depth hoar in the fundament.

Wednesday will be very sunny following early morning fogbanks on the valley floors. Excellent visibility in the dry winter air. Winds will be light. At 2000 m: -1 degree, at 3000 m: -7 degrees. On Thursday, initially still sunshine, but visibility will deteriorate from the north gradually. In the northern Alps some snowfall in the afternoon. At 2000 m: -7 degrees, at 3000 m: -11 degrees.

Little change is expected.