Hochschwab Mountains

Moderate avalanche danger due to drifts behind discontinuities

Moderate avalanche danger due to drifts behind discontinuities

Avalanche danger above the treeline is moderate. Main problem: snowdrifts esp. on east and south-facing slopes deposited atop an unfavourable base. Danger zones near to and far from ridges, at entries into gullies and bowls, behind discontinuities. Instable snowdrifts are triggerable as small-to-medium slab avalanches even by minimum additional loading. Freshly generated cornices are brittle, instable, easily triggered. In shady, extremely steep terrain and gullies at high altitudes, isolated (also large-sized) avalanches can be triggered (persistent weak layer). Windblown, exposed surfaces are often icy and hard, acute danger of falling.

The precipitation from Friday was irregularly distributed: up to 25 cm of frsh snow near Koralpe, 10 cm in Turrach and Hochschwab regions, less in Ausseerland. Fresh snowdrift accumulations behind discontinuities on E/S facing slopes, poorly bonded with the surface full of faceted crystals and surface hoar. Elsewhere the old snowpack is melt-freeze encrusted, hard and often icy. The base is generally compact without marked weak layers. Only on steep shady slopes at high altitudes is the expansive metamorphosis weakening the snowpack base. Freshly generated snowdrift accumulations extend to below the treeline and have the character of powder, unlikely to trigger.

After the perturbance passes through during the night, dry and cold air masses from the NW will determine the weather in Styria’s mountains on Saturday. After final residual clouds disperse along the Northern Alps, cloudless skies will prevail with outstanding visibility. At 2000 m at midday: -10 degrees; at 1500 m: -8 degrees. The NW winds will be light, brisker on the eastern rim of the Alps. Also on Sunday, tranquil weather, rising temperatures, a few clouds in the afternoon.

The snowpack will settle on sunny slopes. Snowdrifts on shady slopes remain the problem.