Hochschwab Mountains

MODERATE avalanche danger at high altitude. Persistent weak layer on shady slopes. Heed small, fresh snowdrift patches. Increasing glide-snow avalanches on sunny slopes.

MODERATE avalanche danger at high altitude. Persistent weak layer on shady slopes. Heed small, fresh snowdrift patches. Increasing glide-snow avalanches on sunny slopes.

Above the treeline, moderate danger prevails. Avalanche prone locations occur on shady slopes, on east-facing slopes in transitions from shallow to deep snow (persistent weak layer), and behind protruberances. In isolated cases, the weak layers in the old snow can trigger a medium-to-large sized avalanche. Atop this, fresh snow and winds have generated brittle snowdrift patches which can be triggered even by minimum additional loading. On sunny slopes, steep grass-covered terrain can expect naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches. In steep rough and rocky terrain, small moist loose-snow avalanches are possible during the course of the day.

Due to low temperatures there is a melt-freeze crust (generally capable of bearing loads) on sunny slopes. Beneath ot the snowpack is well consolidated. On shady slopes, southerly winds have generated small fresh snowdrift patches and deposited them atop quite soft snowpack surfaces. In accition, weak layers are evident inside the snowpack. On sunny slopes, fishbones (glide cracks) have formed on steep grass-covered slopes.

Generally sunny mountain weather on Sunday. Temperatures will rise, a moderate to brisk SE to SW wind will be blowing, gusts reaching 20-40 km/hr. At 2000 m: about -2 degrees.

Monday will be very sunny. Brisk S/W winds. Avalanche danger is not expected to change significantly.