Hochschwab Mountains

Fresh wind slab, considerable avalanche danger!

Fresh wind slab, considerable avalanche danger!

The avalanche danger is rated as "considerable" above 1500 metres. New fallen snow and persistent wind lead to extensive snowdrift accumulations, some of which are prone to triggering. Avalanche prone locations are mainly in gullies, bowls and behind terrain edges and sometimes extend down into forest aisles. Aspects from east to south to west are particularly affected. In some places, the accumulation of drifting snow can be triggered by slight additional load as a mostly medium-sized slab avalanche.

Since Monday, up to 35 cm of new fallen snow has fallen in strong northerly winds. The resulting snowdrift accumulations, some of which are thick, are deposited on a largely stable old snowpack. There are weak layers in the wind-driven snow and occasionally, in shady high altitudes, also in the snow base, fundament (persistent weak layer problem).

The snowfall will subside almost completely during the night to Wednesday. Nevertheless, the Northern Alps and the northern main Alpine ridge will be covered in cloud for most of the day on Wednesday and visibility will be limited. The temperature at 2000 metres above sea level will be between -5 and -7 degrees and the wind will blow briskly in the east and moderately from the north to north-east in the west.

Clouds will continue to accumulate from the north on Thursday, with short snow showers still possible. Strong north-westerly winds are blowing, especially on the eastern edge of the Alps. The wind slab problem is slowly easing.