Weisseck, Muhr Valley

Avoid freshly generated snowdrifts. Isolated danger zones on shady slopes due to weak layers in old snow.

Avoid freshly generated snowdrifts. Isolated danger zones on shady slopes due to weak layers in old snow.

Avalanche danger as of 2400m is moderate, danger is low below that altitude. On shady slopes at high and high-alpine altitudes, small-to-medium slab avalanches can be treiggered in the old snow. In addition, small, fresh snowdrift accumulations will be generated near ridgelines during the course of the day. Danger zones occur mostly in transitions from shallow to deep snow, e.g. at the edge of gullies and bowls and behind protruberances in the landscape. Danger zones tend to increase with ascending altitude. The weight of one persons is sufficient to trigger a slab in steep terrain.

At high and high alpine altitudes, fresh and older snowdrift accumulations have been deposited on the surfaces atop loosely-packed layers of older snow or atop surface hoar, both of which are prone to triggering. Beneath these layers, the snow which has persisted since September and November as fundament is weakened by layers of faceted crystals. The snow is distributed highly irregularly: ridges are often totally windblown, but elsewhere the fresh fallen snow also doesn’t cover the base.

After midnight clouds will move in and towards morning light snowfall is possible in the Tauern and Lungau regions. In exposed high altitude terrain, brisk southerly winds initially, easing off during the nocturnal hours, otherwise only light winds. Temperatures will drop. On Saturday, clouds will become dense, minor snowfall is anticipated. Westerly to northwesterly winds will intensify, gusts reaching 50 km/hr in exposed terrain during the afternoon. At 2000m, temperatures will descend to -6 degrees; at 3000m, to -13 degrees centigrade. On Saturday night, moderately strong snowfall will spread far-reachingly, by Sunday morning 5-10 cm of fresh fallen snow is expected.

As a result of fresh snowfall and wind impact, the danger from freshly generated snowdrifts will increase somewhat on Sunday.