Hochschwab Mountains

Increasing avalanche danger during course of the day

Increasing avalanche danger during course of the day

Avalanche danger increases during the course of the day above 1500m from low to moderate. On steep rocky slopes, particularly in sunny aspects, small-to-medium naturally triggered wet-snow avalanches can be expected. Where the snowpack is thoroughly wet, also wet slab avalanches and glide-snow avalanches cannot be ruled out. Open glide-cracks are indicators of imminent danger, should be circumvented. Backcountry tours should be terminated early in the day.

Persistent warmth over the last few days has moistened the snowpack on sunny slopes up to high altitudes, intermediate-altitude slopes are becoming bare of snow. On shady slopes where there are more reserves of cold there are still layers of faceted crystals inside the snowpack which will be activated as weak layers when the snowpack soon becomes moist and destabilized thereby. On smooth slopes gliding activity has increased.

On Thursday morning it will be sunny in the Styrian mountains, but clouds will move in during the course of the day from the northwest. Precipitation is not anticipated. Winds will be moderate to brisk on the summits from westerly directions. At 2000 m: +5 degrees; at 1500 m: +10 degrees. On Friday, dense cloud cover will move in, though brisk SW winds will disperse it somewhat. During the afternoon a cold front will arrive from the northwest, bringing lower temperatures and precipitation widespread on Friday night and during the daytime on Saturday.

On Friday, wet snow will be the major problem