Pongau Grass Mountains

Isolated danger zones in old snow

Isolated danger zones in old snow

The main danger stems from non-recognizable avalanche prone locations in the weak old snowpack fundament in all aspects above the timberline, particularly in wind-protected areas behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain, in gullies and in bowls. Danger zones increase in number and in size with increasing altitude. Medium-sized slab avalanches can be triggered even by one single winter sports enthusiast. In addition, the NW wind is generating new, trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations, depositing them on NE/E/SE ridgeline slopes. The are mostly small-sized, but can be easily triggered.

The overall snow depth: 20 - 60 cm. Since Friday: 10 to 15 cm of loose snow has been added. The snowpack layering in the still shallow snow cover is frequently unfavourable. The snow cover is expansively metamorphosed (faceted) nearly down to the ground, including embedded melt-freeze crusts. Near forested zones and in wind-protected areas the surface hoar has been blanketed by fresh snowfall. Fresh snow and drifts are being deposited atop this weak old snowpack surface, it is prone to triggering. The situation on sunny slopes is somewhat better, especially where the wind has generated a more irregular distribution of snow.

Monday: mostly sunshine in Tauern and Nockberge. Icy cold NW wind at high altitudes (up to 40 km/hr). At 2000 m: -13 degrees; at 3000 m: -20 degrees. Tuesday: mostly sunshine, high-altitude clouds will move in during the daytime, possibly hampering the sun. At high altitudes of the Tauern, southerly winds will reach speeds of 40 km/hr. At 2000 m: -9 degrees; at 3000 m: rising from -18 to -11 degrees.

Only slight decrease in avalanche danger