Hochschwab Mountains

New fallen snow and wind - avalanches can easily be triggered!

New fallen snow and wind - avalanches can easily be triggered!

The avalanche risk is considerable above the tree line (level 3). The new fallen snow and, in particular, the extensive snowdrift accumulations on all aspects are prone to triggering, especially above the tree line. The danger spots extend into forest aisles and sparse high forest and can be triggered by individual winter sports enthusiasts as medium-sized avalanches. They are mainly located in gullies, bowls and behind terrain edges. Occasionally, avalanches on very steep west, north and east-facing slopes above around 2000 m can also break through into layers close to the ground. In some cases, the wind slab is covered by snow again away from areas adjacent to the ridgeline, crest or summit and is difficult to recognise. Spontaneous slab avalanches and loose snow avalanches from very steep slopes cannot be ruled out.

20 to 40 cm of new fallen snow will be transported by strong to stormy north-westerly winds during the day. Fresh snowdrift accumulations are deposited above the tree line on a partly still weak old snowpack. They will increase in volume and size during the daytime changes. Weak layers are located in the bound layer or transition to the old snow, at higher altitudes in places still in the persistent weak layer (faceted crystals in the area of crusts) or occasionally in layers close to the ground in the form of floating snow.

A striking cold front will move across Styria in the early hours of the night. There will be snow showers and brisk to stormy gusts of wind from the north-west. Thursday will be wintry. It will snow all day, especially in the northern Alps and the Niedere Tauern, where 20 - 40 cm of new fallen snow can accumulate. Visibility is very limited. In addition, there is often a stormy northerly wind, which can become gale-force at exposed high altitudes. The temperature at 2000 metres is between -1 and -8 degrees, at 1500 metres between -4 and +1 degree.

Still stormy, with 10 - 30 cm of new fallen snow, further intensification of the avalanche situation in the eastern regions!