Pongau Grass Mountains

Caution urged where there are fresh snowdrifts

Caution urged where there are fresh snowdrifts

Avalanche danger above the timberline is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is LOW. Danger zones occur wherever the drifts cover a soft, loose snow base. This is the case particularly in shady, wind-protected terrain (also in forest clearances) and in steep gullies. Terrain above the treeline can trigger slabs even from inside the drifts themselves. To trigger a small-to-medium slab avalanche, often only minimum additional loading is enough.

Amid strong wind impact, often major amounts of fresh snow will fall, the base in exposed terrain is often wind-pressed or melt-freeze encrusted (in high alpine regions often wind swirls). On east and south-facing slopes and in gullies there are older drifts from recent days. In protected, shady zones the loose old snow and also the surface hoar is being covered over, these can serve as weak layers. Inside the old snowpack, soft, faceted layers around the melt-freeze crusts further weaken the structuring.

On Friday, persistent snowfall, often moderate-to-heavy. Widespread, 10-20 cm is expected. Stormy W/NW winds will be blowing. At 1500 m: -5 degrees. Saturday will begin dry and partly sunny, with high-altitude clouds the light could become diffuse. Initially hardly any precipitation. Winds will persist at transport strength. Much milder. At 1500 m: rising from -5 to 0 degrees.

On Saturday, fresh, compact drifts will be deposited. The likelihood of triggering will remain heightened in wind-loaded zones.