Goldberg Group Central

Assess steep shady slopes above 2400m with caution

Assess steep shady slopes above 2400m with caution

Avalanche danger above 2400m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Slab avalanches can be triggered by one sole skier and reach medium size where snow is sufficient or if fractures down to more deeply embedded layers occur. Danger zones occur esp. on NW/N/E facing slopes, esp. near ridgelines and behind protruberances in the terrain and at entries into steep gullies and bowls. Danger zones often blanketed, making them difficult to recognize. Avalanches in the old snow above 2200m are isolated, possible only in extremely steep terrain on north-facing slopes. During the course of the day, naturally triggered loose-snow avalanches can be expected in all aspects, releases will be generally small-sized. On steep grass-covered slopes, very isolated small glide-snow avalanches are possible.

The fresh snow has been deposited on steep shady slopes above 2400m atop an expansively metamorphosed snowpack which is prone to triggering in places. Weak layers in the lowermost part of the snowpack are no longer likely to trigger. On sunny slopes and at lower altitudes, the bonding of fresh fallen snow to the old snowpack is generally good, the surface moistens during the daytime, forms a thin melt-freeze crust at night - not capable of bearing loads - and can forfeit bonding.

Nighttime skies will be star-studded. On Tuesday, sunshine and very good visibility. Intermittent thin high-altitude clouds will pass through above summit level. Winds will remain light, southerly in the Tauern. Temperatures rising again. At midday at 2000m: +2 degrees; at 3000m: -4 degrees.

As temperatures gradually rise, likelihood of persistent weak layers triggering will recede, but wet-snow problem will intensify