Hochschwab Mountains

Not much snow, low avalanche danger but isolated avalanche prone locations at high altitudes on the northern flank of the Alps

Not much snow, low avalanche danger but isolated avalanche prone locations at high altitudes on the northern flank of the Alps

Avalanche danger throughout Styria’s mountains is low, isolated avalanche prone locations (older small ridgeline snowdrift accumulations) occur at high altitudes of the Dachstein and Totes Gebirge Massif on N/E slopes at entry points into steep gullies and bowls and in general behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain in isolated cases where small slab avalanches can be triggered in isolated cases. Attentiveness is required especially towards the snowdrift accumulations on shady slopes. Below 2000 m on steep grassy slopes in all aspects, naturally triggered avalanches can be expected. Open glide cracks are danger signals, avoid those zones. Due to the shallow snow depths, often with melt-freeze encrusted or surface-hoar blanketed surfaces, the risks of taking a fall outweigh those of being buried in snow masses.

The unusually high temperatures have had further effect on the snowpack, snow depths for this juncture of the season are extremely below average. The snowline is at about the timberline, on sunny slopes it can be significantly higher up. Following the snowdrift distribution on Boxing Day, the snowpack as settled and consolidated due to higher temperatures. Weak layers inside the snowpack are still prone to triggering: ground level depth hoar and crystal layers, mostly above 2300 m in shady ridgeline terrain. Below 2000 m the shallow snowpack on steep grassy slopes is gliding away. At intermediate altitudes the slopes are becoming bare of snow. The old snow is moist down to the ground.

The dry and mild air masses of the anti-cyclonal SW air current will persist on Monday. While the valleys are filled with fog, sunny - even cloudless - weather prevails in the mountains. Towards evening, clouds moving in from the west, a weak cold front. Midday temperatures at 2000 m will rise to +8 °C, at 1500 m to +11 degrees. Winds will remain light, but in the western rim ranges (Kor, Stub and Gleinalm massifs) and bewteen Hochschwab and Rax, winds will be brisk to strong. Tuesday will have gray skies, the peaks in fog, light rainfall from the north. Later on, minor snowfall up to 1500 m. Temperatures will drop significantly. On 5 January a bit more snowfall is possible, a much colder and precipitation-rich period is forecast starting next weekend.

No change is expected in avalanche danger levels.