Hochschwab Mountains

Gray skies, significantly higher temperatures, danger of wet-snow avalanches. Snowdrift problem on shady slopes.

Gray skies, significantly higher temperatures, danger of wet-snow avalanches. Snowdrift problem on shady slopes.

Due to sustained higher temperatures and rain impact, danger of wet-snow avalanches is increasing noticeably: triggerable in all aspects during the course of the day. Since last weekend the snowdrifts were able to settle well on sunny slopes, only with delay on shady slopes at high altitudes in the wind-loaded zones behind abrupt drops in the terrain and in gullies and bowls.

Since last weekend there has been intense snowfall in the Upper Styrian regions, accompanied by stormy winds (Northern Alps up to 80 cm, Niedere Tauern: up to 40 cm) deposited atop a melt-freeze encrusted snowpack surface which was moist-to-wet. Amid gusty winds, snowdrifts were generated, bonding of these is poor particularly on shady slopes. As temperatures rise and rain impact increases, the fresh snow will become instable.

A western air current will reach Styria on Thursday, bringing instable and mild weather. Skies will be gray, the higher peaks shrouded in fog. In afternoon, snowfall and rainfall will increase, snowfall level will ascend during the daytime to 2400m. Winds will be light to moderate. At 2000 m: +5 degrees; at 1500m: +8 degrees. Also on Friday, gray skies, poor visibility. Rain and snow showers will arrive from the west in the afternoon.

Decreasing danger of slab avalanches, but persistent wet-snow avalanche activity.