Goldberg Group Central

Following a night of cloudy skies, further rise in danger

Following a night of cloudy skies, further rise in danger

Avalanche danger in the morning is MODERATE in general, during the daytime the danger of wet-snow avalanches rises to CONSIDERABLE below 2600 m. Backcountry tours and ascents to huts should be terminated early in the day. Wet-snow avalanches: Following a night of generally cloudy skies the snowpack is weak already in early morning. Due to solar radiation and daytime warming, danger of wet-snow avalanches rises further during the day, particularly on E/S/W facing slopes below 2600m, but also on shady slopes below about 2200m, avalanches in the plummet path can swep along the entire thoroughly wet snowpack and grow to medium size, and where the snow is sufficient, to large size. Caution in zones where such dangers exist. Avoid zones below glide cracks. Dry-snow avalanches: Isolated danger zones for dry-snow slab avalanches occur on very steep (>35°) shady slopes at high altitudes, where avalanches can be triggered in the weak old snow and grow to medium size. Danger zones are not visible to the naked eye.

The snowpack on E/S/W facing slopes is thoroughly wet and, depending on aspect, even wet down to the ground and zero-degree isotherm. Also on shady slopes the snowpack was moistened up to high altitudes on Monday due to warmth and diffuse radiation. In the mostly cloudy nigt the snowpack cannot radiate its warmth outwards. During the dayime it softens further and forfeits its firmness. Free water on grassy slope ground enhances the gliding of the snowpack. On shady slopes at high altitudes the upper part has isolated weak and trigger-sensitive layers; layers more deeply embedded inside the snowpack are currently unlikely to trigger. Below the treeline there is little snow on the ground, above the treeline the snow depths are below average.

On Wednesday, sunshine, good visibility. During the day some harmless clouds will pass through, more convective cloud build-up is expected in the Tauern and Lungau. Winds will be light from the west, brisk southerly winds on the Main Alpine Ridge. At 2000 m: 1-4 degres; at 3000 m: -3 degrees.

Main danger will be wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches