Pongau Grass Mountains

New snow + wind impact on unfavorable snow base

New snow + wind impact on unfavorable snow base

Danger of avalanches will rise swiftly in the morning, to MODERATE widespread above the treeline. Avalanche prone locations from freshly generated snowdrift accumulations are located in gullies and bowls, and particularly on steep ridgeline slopes in NE/E/S aspects. Triggering an avalanche is possible even by minimum additional loading and avalanches can grow to medium size.

The snowpack is melt-freeze encrusted in the uppermost 10-15 cm, between which there are soft layers of faceted crystals and, in some places, surface hoar. The surface is frequently melt-freeze encrusted, sometimes iced-over. Atop this base, fresh snow will fall amid initially light wind impact, later amid heavy wind impact and continually descending temperatures during the daytime. Due to the unfavorable snow base, the fresh snowdrifts must be seen as extremely prone to triggering. Fracture lines can be found both in the loose, fresh new snow and beneath the melt-freeze crusts.

On Wednesday, snowfall right from the start, moderate to strong winds, visibility is frequently much impaired. By evening, 10-20 cm of fresh snow is anticipated over widespread areas. Winds will intensify, shift from westerly to northerly, blowing in exposed terrain at 40-60 km/hr and transport the snow accordingly. Temperatures will sink from -3 to -10 degrees. On Thursday, light snowfall will persist, sometimes heavy (all in all, up to 10 cm). Visibility is frequently impaired. Winds blowing at 30-40 km/hr from W/NW. It will remain wintery cold: at 2000 m, -10 degrees.

Snowdrift accumulations above the timberline should be AVOIDED on Thursday, their proneness to triggering is high for a brief time.