Glockner Group Pasterze

Circumvent freshly generated snowdrift accumulations

Circumvent freshly generated snowdrift accumulations

Due to fresh snowfall and increasily stormy winds, far-reaching snowdrift accumulations are being generated, particularly at the foot of rock cliffs and behind protruberances in the landscape. These can be easily triggered in all aspects above 2200m or else trigger naturally. In addition, avalanches can fracture down to more deeply embedded layers inside the snowpack, especially along the Salzburg border where medium-sized releases are possible. Whumpf noises and glide-cracks when you tread upon the surface can be indicators of immediate danger. Frequency and sizes of danger zones tend to increase with ascending altitude.

Up to 20 cm of snowfall is expected from place to place. The widespread snowdrift accumulations on shady wind-protected slopes above 2200m are being deposited atop a weak old snowpack surface. At mid-level inside the old snowpack on shady, wind-protected slopes there are faceted, expansively metamorphosed weak layers evident. The snowpack is highly irregular even over small areas.

On Friday, early morning clouds will be dense, visibility poor. The snowfall level lie generally lie at 800m. Strong northerly winds will prevail, reaching storm strength in exposed terrain. At 2000m at midday: -8 degrees; at 3000m: -15 degrees.

Evaluate snowdrift accumulations with great caution