Weisseck, Muhr Valley

Isolated persistent weak layer on shady high altitudes slopes

Isolated persistent weak layer on shady high altitudes slopes

Weak layers inside the old snowpack can on shady slopes above approximately 2300 m still be triggered, particularly on wind-protected slopes at the foot of rock walls or behind abrupt discontinuties in the terrain. Danger zones are rare, difficult to recognize. Avalanches can grow to medium size. The brisk southerly winds are generating new snowdrift accumulations, depositing them on shady ridgeline slopes above 2600 m. The danger zones are difficult to recognize in the diffuse light. They tend to increase with ascending altitude. Caution about taking a fall! The quite mild temperatures and a bit of rainfall below 1700 m make small wet loose-snow slides likely in extremely steep terrain. In addition, glide-snow avalanches on steep grassy slopes in all aspects are possible. Due to the shallow snowpack, releases will remain small-sized.

The snowpack is unfavourable over widespread areas and still shallow. On high alpine shady slopes the layering is often unfavourable: a sequence of melt-freeze crusts and faceted crystals inside the fundament, in places with blanketed surface hoar. This applies particularly to wind-protected terrain. The brisk southerly winds are generating new snowdrift accumulations, depositing them on shady ridgeline slopes above 2600 m. Snowdrifts on shady ridgeline slopes, deposited atop soft layers. Below this altitude there is not much snow transport, since the snow has been moistened. Older drifts have settled in the warmth, are no longer prone to triggering.Temperatures will recede somewhat, the zero-degree level drop to below 2000 m. A bit of rain in the afternoon will make the snowpack wet, the snow will thereby lose its firmness and can move on extremely steep slopes downward as small loose-snow avalanches.

Wednesday: dry to start with, clouds will become dense as the day unfolds. Visibility adequate but diffuse light conditions. Winds moderate to brisk from SW to W. In the afternoon, rainfall/snowfall will set in and spread (snowfall level initially at 1700m). At 2000 m: temperatures dropping from 5 o 0 degrees, at 3000 m from 0 to -4 degrees. Thursday: in Tauern and Lungau generally dry, scattered clouds. In the Northern Alps some rain, snowfall above 1900 m. In the afternoon conditions will improve, winds will be brisk to strong, stronger in high alpine terrain, from the west. At 2000 m: 0 degrees, at 3000 m -5 degrees.

No significant change is anticipated.