Hochschwab Mountains

Still easily triggered drifts at high altitude

Still easily triggered drifts at high altitude

Avalanche danger above the treeline is moderate. Main problem: snowdrift which have accumulated in all aspects. Danger zones occur in ridgeline terrain, at entries into gullies and bowls and behind discontinuities. Wherever the snow is bonded like a slab, medium-sized avalanches can be triggered even by 1 person. Frequency of danger zones increases with ascending altitude. In shady extremely steep terrain and gullies, isolated large-sized avalanches can be triggeredd (persistent weak layer).

The fresh snow from the weekend was transported to E/S facing slopes and on Tuesday as winds shift, will be transported eastwards to W/N-facing slopes. The snowdrift accumulations are small. On E/S facing slopes they cover patches of loose but also decomposed snow, slowly becoming less threatening. On west-facing slopes the fresh drifts lie deposited atop surface hoar. Both of these are potential weak layers. The old snowpack beneath them is compact, without marked weak layers. Only on steep shady slopes at high altitudes is expansive metamorphosis weakening the snowpack base.

Thursday will bring lots of sunshine, outstanding visibility, light-to-moderate northerly winds. At 2000 m: -3 degrees. In evening, clouds will move in from the northeast, northerly winds intensify, and temperatures begin to drop.

Friday will bring brisk northerly winds, lower temperatures, clouds in the north and sunshine in the south. Avalanche danger not change significantly.