Hochschwab Mountains

Small fresh drifts, persistent weak layer, glide-snow problem: all merit caution!

Small fresh drifts, persistent weak layer, glide-snow problem: all merit caution!

At high altitudes avalanche danger is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. The small amount of fresh snow plus wind impact has generated new snowdrifts on east-facing slopes behind protruberances. Isolated avalanche prone locatations are found particularly in transitions from shallow to deep snow. By large additional loading on shady steep slopes even large-sized avalanches can be triggered in the old snow. In zones where snowfall has been heaviest, increasingly frequent small moist loose-snow slides are possible in steep rough and rocky terrain during the course of the day. On sunny steep grass-covered slopes, naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches can be expected. Glide cracks are red flags of threatening danger.

The minor snowfall can persist until night, but only a few cm of moist snow is expected to accumulate and bond generally well with the old snowpack. On sunny slopes the snowpack has settled well, is stable. The old snowpack surface has varying melt-freeze crusts which soften disparately in the warmth and solar radiation. On shady slopes the surfaces are often still loose, at high and in exposed altitudes sometimes compact and hard (wind-crusts or older drifts). Here in the old snowpack there can be weak layers evident With increasingly higher temperatures and moistening the snowpack can glide over smooth grass-covered ground.

The low over the Adriatic on Tuesday will withdraw by midnight, the clouds will disperse. Wednesday will start with clear skies. From the northwest, a weak warm front will move in, bringing new cloudbanks, so that the peaks of the Northern Alps will be shrouded in fog by afternoon. The rimline ranges will enjoy sunshine for a bit longer. Dry during the day. Winds will shift to southwesterly and intensify in the Koralps and rimline ranges in the latter part of the day. Temperatures will rise. At 2000m: from -5 to 0 by evening; at 1500 m: just above zero at midday.

On Thursday, stormy winds, even gale strength in exposed terrain. On the northern flank of the Alps cloudy or foggy, rain showers or snow showers or graupel will pass through. The southern flank of the Alps will get more sunshine. It will be quite mild, the snowfall level will initially lie far above 1500 m, towards evening the temperatures will drop again.