Rax - Schneeberggebiet

Slab avalanches can be triggered very easily in gullies!

Slab avalanches can be triggered very easily in gullies!

Above 1400 metres there is a considerable avalanche risk (level 3). The stormy winds have created prone-to-triggering snowdrift accumulations in almost all aspects, which can be triggered by individual winter sports enthusiasts in some places as medium-sized, occasionally also as large slab avalanches. The avalanche prone locations can be found adjacent to ridgelines and distant from ridgelines. They are mainly located in steep gullies and behind terrain edges. Take particular care in the transition from a little to a lot of snow. Avalanche prone locations can be covered by fresh pillows of wind drifted snow. Defensive behaviour is recommended for winter sports in open terrain.

From Wednesday evening to Saturday morning, 30 to 50 cm of new fallen snow above around 1400 m fell under the influence of strong winds. The snow was transported into gullies and bowls by the stormy north to north-westerly winds. As a result, snowdrift accumulations have formed, some of which are not to be underestimated. There are weak layers within the drift snow packs and in the transition to the old snowpack. Fresh snowdrift accumulations are deposited above the tree line on top of the already prone to triggering snow packs.

There will be dense clouds in the coming night, but hardly any snow. At the start of the week, the sun will initially shine over the mountain peaks of Lower Austria. Gradually, however, dense clouds will gather from the west, but it will remain mostly free of precipitation. The temperature at an altitude of 2000 metres will be around -6 degrees. The temperature at an altitude of 1500 metres will be around -3 degrees. Strong to stormy west to north-westerly winds with gusts of between 60 and 100 km/h will blow. The snowfall level is between the valleys and around 800 metres above sea level.

The avalanche risk remains considerable at higher altitudes. With a northerly high-altitude current, clouds will accumulate along the northern side of the Alps on Tuesday and it will snow a little at times. The north to north-westerly wind will also continue to blow strongly, sometimes gale-force, leading to the formation of new drifting snow packs.