Lower Tauern South

Fresh snowdrifts and persistent weak layer

Fresh snowdrifts and persistent weak layer

Avalanche danger is moderate above 2500 m, low below that altitude. In the few danger zones, weak layers in the uppermost part of the snowpack above 2500 m can be triggered by 1 person, esp. in transitions from shallow to deep snow and on steep sunny slopes. In isolated cases the releases can be large-sized. Small fresh snowdrift accumulations will be generated during the course of the day due to fresh snowfall and wind. Above 1800 m these can be triggered even by minimum additional loading, releases will be small. Danger of naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches below 2600 m persists, larger sized avalanches are possible in high altitude starting zones.

A layer of faceted crystals which formed in mid-January is blanketed by a thin melt-freeze crust on steep sunny slopes. Where there is a melt-freeze crust, faceted crystals are large and constitute a weak layer in the old snowpack. Due to good nocturnal outgoing radiation and dry air the snowpack was able to dry out and form a melt-freeze crust up to 1800 m, on south-facing slopes up to over 2000 m, which is capable of bearing loads. Moist snowpack at ground level, glide-snow avalanches can be expected.

Clear nocturnal skies are expected. Thursday will start heavily overcast, a cold front will spread rainfall and snowfall in the morning hours, visibility will deteriorate, snowfall level at 1400 m, dropping to 1000 m by evening. On the northern flank of the Alps: 10-20 cm of fresh snow expected, more in the northern barrier cloud regions, on the southern flank of the Alps 5-10 cm. Brisk to strong W/NW winds, gusts up to 70-80 km/hr at high altitudes. At 2000 m: dropping from +1 to -3 degrees; at 3000 m: from -4 to -7 degrees. On Thursday night, overcast skies, light snow showers.

Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly.