Hochschwab Mountains

Beware snowdrift accumulations and weak old snow

With the fresh snowfall/rainfall plus winds, avalanche danger levels will increase.

Beware snowdrift accumulations and weak old snow

Above the timberline, moderate avalanche danger prevails. Avalanche prone locations in the form of snowdrift accumulations are found particularly on E-S facing slopes above or near the timberline. Slab avalanches can be triggered particularly behind protruberances in the terrain, behind ridgelines and at entry points into gullies and bowls. On very steep high altitude slopes avalanches can also be triggered in the old snow. In addition, in areas where snowfall has been heavy, glide-snow avalanches are possible in some zones; open glide cracks are indicators of potential danger.

Atop a melt-freeze encrusted old snowpack fundament there has been heavy snowfall deposited above 1500 m since Friday, accompanied by measurable wind impact. The snow is distributed in highly irregular fashion, utterly windblown spots are right next to concavities filled to the brim with snow. Snowdrift accumulations have settled somewhat, Inside the fresh snow and the freshly generated snowdrifts there are weak layers. In transitions to the old snowpack, expansively metamorphosed (faceted) layers are also evident.

As a result of a SW high altitude air current, it will turn noticeably milder on Thursday than it has been in recent days (even though temperatures will remain below zero). A warm front will bring some snowfall to the region between Soboth and Gleinalpe and also along the rimline ranges. The snowfall level will ascend incrementally during the daytime, by evening it will lie at 2000m. Large amounts of precipitation are not anticipated. Winds in exposed terrain will often be strong, elsewhere moderate, from the southwest. At 2000 m: -3 degrees at midday. As the weekend approaches, weather conditions will become more turbulent. On Friday afternooon and Friday night, a low over Italy plus a cold front will bring some precipitation to widespread regions. The snowfall level will gradually descend down to low lying areas.