Gutensteiner Alpen

Wet snow problem with rain

Wet snow problem with rain

The avalanche risk is moderate (level 2). Spontaneous wet snow avalanches and smaller gliding avalanches can occur in steep slope zones, including forest slopes or on embankments. Due to persistent stormy north-westerly winds, isolated fresh drift snow packs are prone to triggering. Especially in the north-east to south-east sectors, slab avalanches can be triggered in a few places by individual winter sports enthusiasts.

With increasing moisture penetration, the snowpack loses stability at lower elevations and can also start to glide snow on steep grass and forest slopes. The connection between fresh snow packs and the old snowpack is sometimes insufficient. In shady high altitudes, the old snowpack with faceted crystals is unfavourably structured in places.

In the second half of the night on Tuesday, heavy precipitation will set in in places on the northern side of the Alps with snowfall levels between 1000 and 1300 metres. On Tuesday, the mountain peaks of Lower Austria will initially be covered in dense cloud. In the east, the precipitation will ease in the afternoon and the chances of clearing will increase. At higher altitudes, there will be a stormy north-westerly wind at times. The temperature at 1000 metres will be around 0 degrees.

With the influence of high pressure and a strong rise in temperatures on Wednesday, the wet snow problem will continue!