Hochschwab Mountains

Moderate avalanche danger due to trigger-prone drifts

Moderate avalanche danger due to trigger-prone drifts

Avalanche danger above 1600 m is moderate. Main problem: snowdrifts esp. on east and south-facing slopes deposited atop an unfavourable base. Danger zones near to and far from ridges, at entries into gullies and bowls, behind discontinuities. Instable snowdrifts are triggerable as small-to-medium slab avalanches even by minimum additional loading. Freshly generated cornices are instable, easily triggered. In shady, extremely steep terrain and gullies at high altitudes, isolated (also large-sized) avalanches can be triggered (persistent weak layer). Windblown, exposed surfaces are often icy and hard, acute danger of falling.

Snowdrift accumulations occur not only near ridges, also on E/S facing slopes. Faceted layers and surface hoar clinging to a melt-freeze crust are potential weak layers. Potential weak layers are faceted crystals and surface hoar atop a melt-freeze crust. The base is generally compact and without marked layers, only on steep shady slopes at high altitudes is expansively metamorphosed snow weakening the fundament.

Thursday will start mostly cloudy with isolated snow showers above 1600 m, soon dispersing, followed by dry and intermittently sunny weather. In the evening, peaks will become veiled in fog from the northwest, in the Northern Alps light precipitation will set in.Very mild. At 2000 m: 1 to 3 degrees. On Thursday night, temperatures will drop radically.

Friday will be wintery cold, very windy and light snowfall will prevail in the morning. On E/S facing slopes, fresh, brittle snowdrift masses will again be deposited.