Hochschwab Mountains

Settling continues, but snowdrifts still on high-altitude shady slopes

Settling continues, but snowdrifts still on high-altitude shady slopes

Avalanche danger above the treeline is moderate. Avalanche prone locations still exist in steep entries to wind-loaded gullies and behind protruberances, where a slab can be triggered even by minimum additional loading (though generally in shady high-altitude terrain). Due to higher temperatures, small avalanches can be triggered naturally in rocky terrain and on grass-covered slopes.

The snowpack suffered severe effects from wind in the last few days. Exposed surfaces are often windblown, gullies, bowls and leeward slopes are filled to the brim with drifts. The snowpack has settled in the interim, the drifts are better bonded. In transitions to the old snowpack, particularly at high altitudes, there are still weak layers with embedded graupel or faceted crystals. The surface is often melt-freeze encrusted at high altitudes, breakable crusts at intermediate and low altitudes.

On Sunday, westerly winds will bring cloudbanks over the mountains of Styria. It will be sunniest in the morning, and will remain dry. Westerly winds will be brisk to stormy at high altitudes in Upper Styria, in the southern massifs winds will be lighter. Temperatures will rises temporarily. At 2000 m: -3 to 0 degrees; at 1500 m: 0 to +1 degree.

Early on Monday, a cold front will bring fresh snowfall and stormy winds to Styria. In the northern barrier cloud regions up to 50 cm of fresh snow is anticipated, focal point will be Totes Gebirge as far as Gesäuse, in the Niedere Tauern there will be less. Storm-strength NW winds will be blowing. Avalanche danger levels will increase as a result of trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations being generated.