Hochschwab Mountains

Daytime cycle of glide-snow and wet-snow avalanches

Daytime cycle of glide-snow and wet-snow avalanches

Avalanche danger is low in the morning, moderate starting at midday. Due to rainfall, the risk of naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches has increased on steep smooth grass-covered slopes, these can trigger at any time of day or night. Avoid zones below glide cracks. Combined with solar radiation, the steep slopes which have not yet discharged can trigger wet loose-snow slides. On very steep NE/S facing slopes at high altitudes (>2200m), isolated slabs cannot be ruled out.

Precipitation was initially rainfall on the weekend, destabilizing the snowpack somewhat. Some fresh snow was deposited on the moist surface, stormy winds then generated new snowdrift accumulations (shallow) which are well bonded with the snowpack Weak layers inside the snowpack threaten - faceted crystals bordering on melt-freeze crusts, but are unlikely to trigger (except in transitions from shallow to deep snow). A wet layer exists aat ground level, reinforcing gliding activity. Higher altitude slopes sometimes turn to firn, lower altitude slopes are soft and weak.

A high-pressure front is determining the weather in Styria, mild and initially quite sunny. From the west, clouds will move in starting at midday. The SW winds will be light, brisk in the rimline ranges. At midday at 2000 m: +3 degrees; at 1500m: +7 degrees. Thursday will be variably cloudy, heavy clouds will move in from the southwest, sunshine will be only occasional. Winds will remain light. Temperatures will recede slightly.

No change is expected.