Lower Tauern South

Snowdrift accumulations esp. on steep shady slopes and atop weak old layers

Snowdrift accumulations esp. on steep shady slopes and atop weak old layers

Avalanche danger is low. In all aspects, small-to-medium slab avalanches can be triggerd by minimum additional loading in places. Danger zones occur mostly near ridgelines and behind protruberances in the landscape, esp. on W/N/NE facing slopes, caution also urged near treelines and in forest clearances. Size and frequency of danger zones tend to increase with ascending altitude. Above 2000m, releases can fracture down to more deeply embedded layers inside the snowpack and grow to larger size. Small glide-snow and loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally. Slabs, mostly small-sized, can be triggered even by minimum additiional loading both near to and distant from ridgelines and behind protruberances in the landscape on north, northwest and south facing slopes. Caution in transition from shallow to deep snow. If fractures occur down to more deeply embedded layers in the snowpack the releases can grow to medium size. Isolated glide-snow avalanches reaching medium size are possible at any time of day or night.

Often hardened snowdrift masses lie atop an expansively metamorphosed, loosely-packed snowpack surface with near-surface faceted crystals. Near surface crusts are weak layers of faceted, expansively metamorphosed crystals. Particularly in shady, shallow-snow zones there is snow which is rewarding to skiers, it is faceted, expansively metamorphosed powder which is settling increasingly with rising temperatures. In wind-exposed terrain the snowpack surface on steep sunny slopes is generating foehn conditions.

Nighttime skies on Tuesday will often be cloudless, with only light winds. On Wednesday, sunshine to start with. High clouds above summit level, hampering the sun starting at midday, generating diffuse light conditions. Winds mostly light, moderate in exposed terrain, from the south. At 2000m: from south to north between -4 and +2 degrees.

No significant change in avalanche danger levels anticipated