Goldberg Group Central

Fresh snow and drifts prone to triggering. Persistent weak layer at high altitude.

Fresh snow and drifts prone to triggering. Persistent weak layer at high altitude.

Avalanche danger above 2400 m is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is LOW. Dry-snow slab avalanches can be triggered by one sole skier and grow to large size. Danger zones lie on very steep (>35°) shady slopes (NW/N/NE) above 2400 m. They are difficult to recognize on-site. Caution urged in transitions from shallow to deep snow and in general where the snow is shallow. Amid moderate winds, fresh snowdrift accumulations have been generated in ridgeline terrain and summit zones. They are mostly small, but on N/E facing slopes above 2400 m prone to triggering. Likelihood of triggering and size of danger zones increase with ascending altitude. Caution urged in places which are prone to forcing a fall. In addition, intermittent solar radiation and moist air makes small loose-snow avalanches possible on extremely steep (>40) slopes. In isolated cases small and medium glide-snow avalanches are possible in all aspects on steep grassy slopes.

Between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, 15-25 cm of fresh snow is expected, locally up to 30 cm. Moderate-to-strong NW winds will transport the snow, generated fresh snowdrifts atop a thoroughly wet snowpack below 2400 m, often with a thin melt-freeze crust. Bonding deteriorates with ascending altitude. In the upper part of the snowpack there are weak expansively metamorphosed (faceted) layers above 2400 m which have led to numerous, sometimes large-sized avalanches during the last few days. Below 1600 m there is not much snow.

Wednesday morning: dense clouds, some rain/snow (snow above 800-1000m) in the Northern Alps. In the Tauern the snowfall level is higher. In the Nockberge it will probably remain dry. In the afternoon, conditions improving, a bit of sunshine. Winds light-to-moderate, sometimes brisk, from W/NW. At 2000 m: from -5 rising to -1 degree; at 3000 m: from -12 to -8 degrees.

Thursday: little change. A bit of snowfall in the morning, clouds will disperse in the afternoon. Somewhat milder, which will regain some firmness for the snowpack. Isolated wet loose-snow slides possible, also glide-snow avalanches are a threat.