Hochschwab Mountains

Pay attention to fresh wind slab

Pay attention to fresh wind slab

There is a moderate avalanche risk above 1900 metres. With new fallen snow and a prone-to-triggering westerly wind, prone-to-triggering snowdrift accumulations can continue to form. These can be triggered by individuals as small to medium-sized slab avalanches, especially behind broad ridges and ridgelines in northern, eastern and southern aspects as well as in gullies and bowls. The avalanche prone locations are easily recognisable with sufficient visibility. Often, some of the snow has covered over the exposed areas, so beware of the risk of injury.

The existing snow cover, snowpack is characterised by the strong winds of the last few days. Fresh snowdrift accumulations may form on New Year's Eve with around 15 cm of new fallen snow and persistently strong winds. In many places, they will cover soft layers in the transition to persistent weak layers or existing drift snow packs. The connection between them is poor. On the shady slopes, there are sometimes weak layers of faceted crystals in the old snow foundation. The composition and thickness of the snow cover, snowpack varies greatly in a small area. There is often insufficient old snowpack.

Clouds will predominate on New Year's Eve, especially from the main Alpine ridge northwards, and light to moderate snowfall is expected before midnight. The amount of new snow will vary between a few centimetres in the Dachstein region and up to 15 cm in the Hochschwab area, with a little more locally. On New Year's Day, the clouds will soften quickly and sunny mountain weather will prevail. It will be temporarily milder at all altitudes. Temperatures at 2000 metres will be between -11 degrees in the morning and -4 degrees in the evening, and between -8 and -3 degrees at 1500 metres. Strong winds with gusts of around 90 km/h from the west.

It will be very cold again on Friday and next weekend with a fresh supply of cold air, and it will remain windy. However, there is unlikely to be any new fallen snow. No significant change in the avalanche situation with wind and cold, wind slab remains the main problem.