Wölz Tauern South

Considerable avalanche danger at high altitudes due to fresh snowdrifts. Beware glide-snow activity.

Considerable avalanche danger at high altitudes due to fresh snowdrifts. Beware glide-snow activity.

At high altitudes, considerable avalanche danger prevails due to huge amounts of fresh snow and growing fresh snowdrift accumulations. Danger zones occur above the treeline over far-reaching areas on E/S facing slopes. On wind-loaded slopes and, in particular, behind protruberances in the terrain and at entry points into gullies and bowls, slab avalanches can be triggered even by minimum additional loading (one person). On extremely steep slopes in all aspects, naturally triggered loose-snow avalanches can be expected. On smooth grassy slopes, naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches can be expected which in isolated cases can endanger exposed transportation routes. Zones below glide-cracks should be circumvented. Poor visibility makes recognizing the danger zones more difficult.

The snowpack fundament bears marks of warm phases and rainfall, it is moist at intermediate altitudes, and melt-freeze encrusted at high altitudes. On Friday night rainfall up to over 2000m will make the snowpack even wetter before the snowfall level descends to the valley floor in the early morning hours on Saturday. During the day up to 60 cm of fresh snow is expected. Initially SW winds, later on storm-strength NW winds will transport the snow, generate new snowdrift accumulations, deposited atop loose fresh snow which is like a weak layer.

A see-saw between warm, moist air masses from the south and arctic-cold air masses from the north will create inhospitable weather on Saturday. The snowfall level is hard to predict. Visibility will be reduced and intensive precipitation is anticipated. In the southern regions the snowfall level will presumably be above 2000 m on Friday night, descend to 1000m in early morning on Saturday, then down to the valley floor. Heavy snowfall in the morning hours, slackening off in the evening. Winds will shift from SW to NW and intensify in the afternoon, particularly in the eastern mountain ranges, reaching storm strength. At 2000 m, temperatures will drop from +3 during the night to -10 the following evening.

Sunday will be sunny and cold in the mountains. The low temperaturess will conserve the snowdrift problem. No significant change in avalanche danger levels. Special caution is urged: in spite of the beautiful weather, the situation is treacherous.