Hochschwab Mountains

Avalanche danger is in general low. Only a few, but hard to spot danger areas in high altitudes.

The avalanche danger is in general low. Persistent weak layers above 1.800 m. Danger spots are usually located in shady northwesterly to southeasterly expositions, especially in entries to extremely steep gullies and bowls. Here medium-sized slab avalanches can be triggered by high additional loads.

Due to mild sunny weather the snow cover got wet in sunny high-altitude slopes. During the night surface hoar is formed there and partially firn-like snow. On shady slopes the snow cover is built by faceted snow crystals and the layers are poorly bonded. On the surface a powdery snow layer can be found, underneath that weak layers are forming which are destabilizing the snow base. The snow cover is in general unusually thin, considering the season. Only in blown-in gullies and bowls compact snow packs with a higher amount of snow are found.

Saturday starts predominately sunny in the Styrian mountains, only a few high veil clouds which are not limiting the visibility. from noon on clouds in medium heights are increasing but no precipitation is called. Weak to moderate winds. In the area of Seetaler Alps, Koralpe and Wechsel area winds can be brisk coming from the south. Temperatures in 2.000 m will be in between 5 to 8 degrees. On Sunday Styria will be influenced by a low-pressure trough which causes strong-velocity southwesterly winds, cooling and precipitation.

Depending on the amount of the precipitation th avalanche danger can increase slightly in the western mountain ranges of Styria.