Goldberg Group Central

Daytime increase in avalanche danger due to wet-snow avalanches, fewer danger zones for slab avalanches

Daytime increase in avalanche danger due to wet-snow avalanches, fewer danger zones for slab avalanches

Avalanche danger increases during the daytime hours. In the morning danger above 2400m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Medium-sized slab avalanches can be triggered by minimum additional loading in some places, caution urged in transitions from shallow to deeper snow. Danger zones occur esp. on very steep north-facing slopes above 2400m and on W/E-facing slopes above 2600m. Due to daytime warmth and solar radiation, avalanche danger increases to moderate during the daytime at all altitudes. On extremely steep sunny slopes, small moist loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally during the course of the day or be triggerered by persons descending and grow to medium size, esp. in high-altitude starting zones. Backcountry tours and ascents to refuges should be launched early and come to an end early in the day. From very steep grass-covered slopes, isolated small-to-medium glide-snow avalanches can trigger naturally.

The melt-freeze encrusted snowpack gradually softens up during the early daytime hours. In extended north-facing terrain there are still weak layers of faceted crystals in the old snowpack. On shady summit slopes, shallow snowdrift patches lie deposited often atop weak layers of surface hoar or faceted crystals. In high-alpine regions, thin snowdrifts are being generated on E/S-facing slopes. On shady slopes below 2200m and on sunny slopes, the old snowpack is mostly moist. On very steep, little structure terrain surfaces, the entire snowpack oftens glides downhill.

On Friday night, clouds will pass through, but skies will often be clear or only partially cloudy. The initially brisk W/NW wind will slacken off during the night. Saturday will be very sunny with good visibility, only a few clouds near Hohe Tauern and Niedere Tauern. Winds will be light to moderate, shifting to southerly later in the day. At 2000m: 3-9 degrees; at 3000m: -1 to +3 degrees.

The snowpack is becoming thoroughly wet. Main danger: wet-snow and glide-snow avalanches.