Hochschwab Mountains

Moderate avalanche danger at high altitudes - on north-facing slopes trigger-prone snowpack, on south-facing slopes naturally triggered wet-snow avalanches

Moderate avalanche danger at high altitudes - on north-facing slopes trigger-prone snowpack, on south-facing slopes naturally triggered wet-snow avalanches

Avalanche danger above 1800 m is moderate. Main danger: natureally triggered glide-snow and wet-snow avalanches from steep slopes in all aspects which have not yet discharged, and can reach medium size. Avoid zones below glide cracks and opening shooting cracks, esp. in regions where snowfall has been heavy the likelihood of wet loose-snow avalanches in steep rocky south-facing terrain is high. On steep north-facing slopes above 2000 m, slab avalanches can be triggered by 1 person.

The snowpack fundament is isotherm up to high altitudes and is losing firmness. The melt-freeze encrusted snowpack surface will soften quickly on sunny slopes by midday. The snowpack is bare up to intermediate altitudes. On shady slopes above 2000 m there are faceted crystals inside the snowpack which can serve as a weak layer for a slab avalanche - triggerable by 1 person is possible.

On Saturday it will remain dry until midday, and quite sunny, accompanied by brisk SW winds, but mild. In afternoon, a marked cold front from the northwest will move in, bringing stormy NW winds, heavy showers and plummeting temperatures at all altitudes. In the evening in the Northern Alps snowfall is possible down to below 1000 m. At 2000 m: +5 degrees at midday, in evening only -5 degrees; at 1500 m: -1 degree.

On Palm Sunday, cold and instable weather conditions. Some sunshine and some snow or graupel showers, with reduced visibility. Snowfall level will rise to 1000 m. All in all by Sunday evening in Upper Styria, up to 15 cm of fresh snow is expected. Inmoring, a moderate, increasingly brisk NW wind will be blowing and it will remain cold. The fresh snowdrifts are prone to triggering, raising avalanche danger levels temporarily.