Lower Tauern South

Snowdrifts at high altitude, gliding snow at intermediate altitude

The snowpack is moist up to over 2200 m, on sunny slopes higher still. By Monday evening, 10-15 cm of fresh snow + wind anticipated, more in places of the Northern Alps. Up to 2200 m the drifts in all aspects will be deposited atop a crust, bonding is adequate. At high altitudes there are often soft layers near the surface which constitute weak layers. New weak layers inside the fresh snow and drifts are also possible. Above 2500 m, avalanches can in very isolated cases fracture down to more deeply embedded layers inside the snowpack on very steep shady slopes.

Snowdrifts at high altitude, gliding snow at intermediate altitude

Avalanche danger above 2200 m is moderate, Danger Level 2. As a result of fresh snowfall and wind, new snowdrift accumulations will be generated which will increase in thickness as the day progresses. Danger zones occur esp. on N/E/SE facing slopes and increase with ascending altitude. Releases are mostly small, but larger ones possible higher up. Still latent danger of glide-snow avalanches which can trigger naturally on steep grass-covered slopes, mostly medium-sized, sometimes large-sized. Avoid zones below glide cracks. Below 1800 m, naturally triggered loose-snow avalanches are possible in extremely steep terrain, mostly small releases.

During the night heavy cloud cover will move in. In the latter part of the night, rainfall and snowfall will spread, snowfall level at 1800 m. In the Northern Alps: 3-10 cm of fresh snow, in the Tauern 5 cm. On Monday, most peaks will be veiled in heavy cloud and frequent rainfall and snowfall are expected, esp. in the northern barrier cloud regions, snowfall level at 1400-1600 m. At 2000 m: -3 degrees; at 3000 m: -9 degrees. At high altitudes, often brisk NW winds (reaching windspeeds of 80 km/hr in the Tauern). By evening in the Northern Alps and Tauern: 5-15 cm expected. By Tuesday morning, an additional 3-10 cm in Northern Alps and Tauern. Most snowfall anticipated in the northern barrier cloud regions. The snow will swiftly be windblown/transported.

The snowdrift problem will increase.