Hochschwab Mountains

Daytime cycle of glide-snow and wet-snow avalanches

Daytime cycle of glide-snow and wet-snow avalanches

Avalanche danger is low in the morning, moderate starting at midday. Due to rainfall, the risk of naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches has increased on steep smooth grass-covered slopes, these can trigger at any time of day or night. Avoid zones below glide cracks. Combined with solar radiation, the steep slopes which have not yet discharged can trigger wet loose-snow slides. On very steep E/S facing slopes at high altitudes (>2200m), isolated slabs cannot be ruled out (large additional loading).

The precipitation on the weekend amid mild temperatures up to high altitudes (initially as rain) weakened the snowpack. Atop the moist surface then some fresh snow fell, together with stormy winds generating fresh snowdrifts (shallow) which initially bonded well with the old snowpack. Weak layers exist deeper down: expansively metamorphosed crystals bordering on older melt-freeze crust but these are unlikely to trigger (except in transitions from shallow to deep snow). There is also a wet layer of depth hoar near the ground, responsible for glide-snow activity. On high-altitude sunny slopes, firn snow can form if the winds ease; at low altitudes the snowpack is soft and weak.

Increasing influence of a high-pressure front, dry air masses from the northwest. Tuesday will be quite sunny. On the northern flank of the Alps, brisk winds (stormy in the rimline ranges) from the northwest; south of the Main Alpine Ridge the winds will be much lighter. At 2000m +2 degrees and at 1500 m: +5 degrees. In the south the temperatures will rise to +4 and +8 degrees. Also on Wednesday, pleasant weather conditions, but more clouds. Temperatures will remain unchanged, winds will ease.

No change is expected.