Lower Tauern Central

Top springtime conditions, daytime cycle: danger rises to MODERATE

Top springtime conditions, daytime cycle: danger rises to MODERATE

Avalanche danger in the morning is LOW, then rises due to daytime loss of snowpack firmness to MODERATE. On sun-drenched steep slopes, naturally triggered or skier-induced small-to-moderate wet loose snow avalanches are possible. Isolated, seldom glide snow avalanches (small-to-medium) are possible at any time of day or night in very steep grass-covered terrain, though the likelihood is greatest in afternoon and evening. Heed glide cracks.

The snowpack is capable of bearing loads to start with. Often hard-as-steel and icy. During the course of the day it softens slowly. On sunny slopes the uppermost 10 cm become soft, on west-facing and north-facing slopes they remain hard for longer. Glide-snow activity on extremely steep slopes tends to increase through the course of the day.

Cloudless skies, outstanding visibility on Monday. Air moisture extremely low, mostly 20%. Light winds, apart from local swooping winds. At 2000 m: rising from -4 to +1 degrees. On Tuesday, ongoingly cloudless skies, clear air, low moisture. Southerly winds rising, reaching 30-50 km/hr in exposed terrain. Temperatures unchanged.

On Tuesday, unchanged conditions. Top springtime conditions, only a minor glide-snow risk, and the dry air will transform the snow to firn rather late, where the sun doesn’t shine directly, and the snowpack will remain steel-hard. Starting on Wednesday, increasingly strong daytime cycle, with wet-snow problem in the afternoon.