Weisseck, Muhr Valley

Foehn wind having heavy impact

Foehn wind having heavy impact

Avalanche danger above 2000 m is CONSIDERABLE, below that altitude danger is LOW. Main problem: freshly generated snowdrift accumulations. Slabs can trigger by minimum additional loading and grow to large size. Most critical: transitions from shallow to deep snow. The snowdrift accumulations are easily recognized and should be avoided. In steep terrain, isolated glide-snow avalanches are possible.

The fresh snow from Friday and Saturday has already settled and is well bonded with the old snowpack. Southerly foehn winds have had great impact. Wind-exposed terrain is windblown down to the old snowpack surface, deep snowdrifts lie adjacent, the surface is extremely irregular. On sunny slopes the snow is sticky or has a melt-freeze crust. In wind-protected terrain and on shady slopes there is still powder. Huge cornices tower. Weak layer for a slab: mostly the loose snow beneath the drifts; more deeply embedded layers are unlikely to trigger.

Along the Hohe Tauern and in the Lungau, heavy clouds are still moving in from the south, reducing visibility. Winds are brisk from the south (gusts of 50 km/hr). At 2000 m: -5 to +1 degree; at 3000 m: -7 degrees.

Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly.