Hochschwab Mountains

Brittle snowdrift accumulations. Instable snowpack.

Brittle snowdrift accumulations. Instable snowpack.

Avalanche danger above the treeline is considerable. Danger zones are located in ridgeline terrain and behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain. Particular caution is urged on high altitude north and east-facing slopes. Fresh, brittle snowdrifts have been deposited on top of an unfavourable old snowpack surface (persistent weak layer) on east-facing slopes. The drifts should not be underestimated at high altitudes! A slab release is possible even with minimum additional loading. Poor visibility makes assessing dangers on-site more difficult. Loose-snow avalanches are possible even as the snow falls.

Between Dachstein and Hochschwab, large amounts of fresh snow are expected on Saturday. In addition, strong-to-stormy winds will transport the fresh snow. The drifts will be deposited on E/S facing slopes, blanketing older snowdrift accumulations, beneath which lies a soft, loose layer. Gullies adn bowls in all aspects are being laterally wind-loaded. Inside the snowpack fundament on shady slopes there is a sequence of melt-freeze layers and crusts with faceted crystals (unfavourable layering).

On Friday night on the northern flank of the Alps, heavy cloud cover, snowfall all night long. Particularly from Ausseer Land into Mariazeller Land, large amounts of fresh snow are expected (20-30 cm). In the Murtal and Mürztal, less, but repeated rounds of snowfall are possible. The NW winds will increase in strength, blowing strong in the mountains. Saturday: heavy cloud cover. Between Totes Gebirge and Hochschwab, continual snowfall. South of Niedere Tauern, only a bit of snowfall. Winds will be strong to stormy from NW. Icy cold in the mountains: at 2000 m, -13 degrees. Sunday: cloud cover still dominates, some snowfall between Dachstein and Hochschwab. In the afternoon, winds and precipitation will ease, but cloud cover will persist. Cold at high altitudes: at 2000 m, -13 degrees.

Considerable danger of slab avalanches persists