Pongau Grass Mountains

Fresh and older wind slabs are easy to release.

Fresh and older wind slabs are easy to release.

The avalanche risk is considerable above the tree line and low below. In north-west to north to south-facing slopes, avalanches can easily be triggered by individuals in some places. Above 2000 m, slab avalanches are still possible in persistent weak layers in a few places. Avalanches can reach medium size. Danger areas are located at the transition from little to more snow and generally next to blown-off areas as well as in the entrance areas to gullies and bowls filled with wind slabs. Caution should also be exercised at the edge of forests and in forest aisles. Cracks when stepping on the snowpack indicate danger. Caution in the area of terrain traps.

From Sunday to Tuesday, 20 cm to 60 cm of new fallen snow was transported extensively and is very prone to triggering. On Thursday, too, the wind (from the south in the morning, from the north in the afternoon) formed fresh wind slabs. A break usually occurs between the last wind slab and layers of fresh snow, in some places surface hoar has also been snowed in. At high altitudes, especially in northern and eastern aspects, bonded snow overlays a weak old snowpack of faceted crystals and deep frost.

The night will be cloudy and largely free of precipitation. The southerly foehn becomes stronger during the night and reaches speeds of around 80 km/h. On Thursday, the stormy south wind will ease during the day. A moderate northerly wind will blow in the afternoon. Visibility will deteriorate rapidly and light to moderate snowfall will set in from midday. Temperatures at 2000 metres will be around -3 degrees.

The avalanche danger remains similar on Friday.