Hochschwab Mountains

Fresh snowdrift accumulations

Fresh snowdrift accumulations

Avalanche danger in the northern barrier cloud regions above the treeline is moderate. Caution: fresh snowdrifts, in some places triggerable by large additional loading as a slab. Danger zones occur at high altitudes behind protruberances, in ridgeline terrain and in general on leeward slopes in N/E/S aspects, where naturally triggered slides are possible on extremely steep slopes.

Due to wind impact and fresh snow, fresh snowdrift accumulations have been generated, in places these are prone to triggering. The drifts were deposited atop a moist, mostly wind-freeze encrusted snowpack.

On Tuesday, extremely inhospitable weather: mostly heavily overcast, the peaks often shrouded in heavy cloud. Repeated bouts of snowfall, most in northern Upper Styria where above 1000-1500m there will be 20-30 cm of fresh snow. Moderate NW winds (20-40 km/hr). At 2000 m: -5 degrees. Wednesday will begin with sunshine, no precipitation. During the daytime, widespread cloudbanks will pass through. It will remain dry and the summits mostly free.

The fresh snow will rapidly settle due to daytime warming. On Wednesday, naturally triggered wet-snow avalanches can be expected.