Mürzsteg Alps

Moderate danger of wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches

Moderate danger of wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches

As rainfall begins, the danger of naturally triggered wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches increases in all aspects. Most releases will be of medium size. At low altitudes where there is less snow, slides can be expected on steep hillsides. In addition, awful backcountry touring conditions prevail, with next-to-no visibility.

During the day on Wednesday, up to 25 cm of snow fell in the Niedere Tauern. As of evening and during the coming night, rainfall with a continually ascending snowfall level. Thus, it will rain into the new snow, making the snowpack even more thoroughly wet.

The Eastern Alps lie in the path of a westerly high-altitude air current. On Wednesday evening a warm front will sweep over the land and bring heavy precipitation to Northern Alps and Niedere Tauern. Temperatures will swiftly rise and with them, the snowfall level: it will rise to over 2000 m on Thursday. The mountains will disappear in heavy fog, the rainfall will be intermittently heavy accompanied by storm-strength W/NW winds. Temperatures will rise by midday to +3 degrees at 2000 m, +5 degrees at 1500 m. On Thursday night, the rain will gradually slacken off, the clouds being to disperse from the west and it will turn increasingly sunny. The stormy westerly winds will diminish in velocity during the daytime but it will remain extremely mild (up to +8 degrees at 2000 m).

After most of the potential wet-snow avalanches have discharged on Thursday, avalanche danger will decrease swiftly. One theme will persist: glide-snow avalanches react to rain impact with a certain delay.