Mürzsteg Alps

Heed fresh snow/snowdrift problem

Heed fresh snow/snowdrift problem

Avalanche danger has risen to considerable at high altitudes, where risks of slab avalanches require attentiveness: the weight one one single person can trigger one. Danger zones occur mostly on E/S facing slopes. In rocky terrain, increasingly frequent naturally triggered loose-snow avalanches can be expected. At intermediate altitudes and were the slopes previously were bare, the fresh fallen snow can slide away as glide-snow avalanches or wet loose-snow avalanches and place exposed transportation routes at risk. Poor visibility makes assessing the dangers difficult on-site.

Since Thursday there has been up to 50 cm of fresh snow registered, often more. On Friday night further snowfall is anticipated. By Saturday evening an additional 30 cm of fresh snow can be added to this. The intensifying NW winds have transported the snow since Friday far-reachingly. The drifts often lie deposited stop unbonded fresh snow and are prone to triggering. In addition, bonding of fresh snow to old snow is insufficient, esp. at high altitudes. At intermediate altitudes the fresh snow fell on bare ground. On steep grassy slopes, glide-snow slides can be expected increasingly.

An occlusion of a low-pressure front is bringing us dense clouds, poor visibility and precipitation. The snowfall level will lie at 800-1200 m north Main Alpine Ridge, on the southern flank of the Alps at 1100-1500 m. Heaviest snowfall will be in the Dachstein, Totes Gebirge and Hochschwab regions, where from Friday to Saturday 40-80 cm of fresh snow can fall. Towards east and south, intensity of snowfall will ease, in Niedere Tauern up to 30 cm is expected, in Gurktal and Seetal Alps and the rimline ranges, hardly any precipitation. Winds will be westerly, strong in the Northern Alps and gusty, only light in the southern regions. In the Northern Alps at 2000 m: -5 degrees; at 1000 m: 0 degrees, in the south higher.

On Sunday, low-pressure front conditions will determine the weather, dense cloud, repeated precipitation is possible. Snowfall level will ascend. Danger of wet-snow avalanches will increase somewhat. At high altitudes the snowdrifts will continue to remain prone to triggering.