Lower Tauern South

Attention: trigger-sensitive snowdrift masses

Attention: trigger-sensitive snowdrift masses

Avalanche danger above 2300 m is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is LOW. The fresh snowdrifts can be triggered even by one sole winter sports enthusiast in some places and reach medium size, particularly in the regions where snowfall has been heaviest. The danger zones are located particularly in extended N/E-facing terrain, especially in ridgeline gullies and bowls. Trigger-sensitivity and size of the danger zones increase with ascending altitude. On steep sunny grass-covered slopes, isolated, mostly small glide-snow avalanches are possible.

Fresh snowdrift accumulations are generally small, lie deposited on steep ridgeline slopes atop soft layers. Older drifts lie atop a weak old snowpack surface at high altitudes, particularly in wind-protected shady gullies and bowls on N/E facing slopes. The snowpack at high altitudes is heavily wind-impacted and irregular. At low and intermediate altitudes (<2000 m) there is little snow on the ground.

On Friday night a weak cold front will pass through, bringing about 5 cm of fresh snow and often strong NW winds. On Saturday, residual clouds will disperse, winds ease rapidly. Sunshine until after midday. In the afternoon, clouds will shroud the peaks, strong-velocity southerly foehn wind will arise. At 2000 m: -6 to 0 degrees; at 3000 m -13 to -5 degrees. On Sunday, southerly foehn wind will be strong until after midday. In the afternoon the next cold front will pass through from the northwest, visibility will deteriorate significantly and snowfall will set in.

Not much change is expected to start with. Next week it will become noticeably more wintery.