Fischbach Alps East, Wechsel

Moderate avalanche danger above treeline, due to snowdrifts

Moderate avalanche danger above treeline, due to snowdrifts

Above the timberline, moderate avalanche danger prevails, as a result of snowdrift accumulations. Danger zones occur initially in N/E/S aspects, particularly behind protruberances and at entries into gullies and bowls, where in isolated cases a slab avalanche can be triggered even by one person.

The snowpack base is thin, melt-freeze encrusted and compact due to warm phases and rain impact. Atop of it on Saturday, up to 30 cm of fresh snow was deposited with variable-strength NW and S winds, transporting the snow and depositing new drifts on N/E/S facing slopes. Weak layers inside the fresh snow have been preserved by the cold. Furthermore, in transitions from the warm snowpack base to the cold fresh snow/drifts, a weak layer can form.

A low over central Italy and another low over Germany are sending moist/cold air masses to Styria. On Tuesday night some fresh snowfall is anticipated throughout Styria. In the course of the day on Wednesday the precipitation will temporarily stop, than starting at midday, particularly between Dachstein and Ennstal Alps, recommence. Only minor amounts are expected. Skies will remain gray, clouds will disperse only in the western rimline ranges during the afternoon. The NW winds will be blowing at moderate strength, at storm strength east of the Hochschwab. Temperatures at midday at 2000 m: -7 degrees; at 1500 m: -3 degrees. Also on Thursday, the northern barrier cloud regions will have heavy cloud cover, a bit of minor snowfall is possible. Further to the south, sunshine is expected. On Friday, markedly higher temperatures.

No significant change to start with. The cold is preserving the potential weak laysers. Only as temperatures rise will the situation calm.