Lower Tauern South

Persistent weak layer above 2200 m. Below that, isolated glide-snow avalanches

Persistent weak layer above 2200 m. Below that, isolated glide-snow avalanches

Avalanches above 2200 m is generally MODERATE, below that altitude danger is LOW. Below 2200 m potential dangers of highly isolated glide-snow avalanches on extremely steep slopes. Mostly small-to-medium sized. Above 2200 m, dry-snow slab avalanches can be triggered by large additional loading. Caution in transitions from shallow to deep snow. Potential slabs can grow to dangerously large size. Treacherous: N/E/S aspects. Danger zones are often evident in areas distant from ridgelines. The snowpack surface remains mostly hardened in zones not directly exposed to sunlight. Danger of falling.

Up to 2200/2400 m the snow is moist and has a melt-freeze crust which is capable of bearing loads. On purely sunny slopes this crust softens somewhat, in the other aspects it remains hard and dry due to low air moisture. Above 2200/2400 m the terrain is utterly windblown, often with compact layers of snowdrifts deposited atop soft intermediate layers beneath the last melt-freeze crust from mid-December. Elsewhere the old snowpack is compact by and large, and not susceptible to triggering. Most glide-snow and wet-snow avalanches discharged day before yesterday.

On Saturday, sunny, clear skies. Low air moisture. Not as warm as the day before. In the morning, brisk northerly winds (20-40 km/hr) at high altitudes, slackening off in the afternoon. At 2000 m: +4 degrees, at 3000 m 0 degrees. On Sunday, sunny, some high-altitude clouds. Winds will slacken off noticeably, blow only at light to moderate strength. At 2000 m: +6 degrees, at 3000 m, 0 degrees.

Little change on Sunday and Monday