Pongau Grass Mountains

Isolated danger zones in old snow

Isolated danger zones in old snow

The main danger stems from non-recognizable avalanche prone locations in the weak old snowpack fundament in all aspects above the timberline, particularly in wind-protected areas behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain, in gullies and in bowls. Danger zones increase in number and in size with increasing altitude. Medium-sized slab avalanches can be triggered even by one single winter sports enthusiast. In addition, the NW wind is generating new, trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations, depositing them on NE/E/SE ridgeline slopes. The are mostly small-sized, but can be easily triggered.

The overall snow depth: 20 - 60 cm. By Sunday midday, an additional 10-15 cm of snow is expected. The snowpack layering in the still shallow snow cover is frequently unfavourable. The snow cover is expansively metamorphosed (faceted) nearly down to the ground, including embedded melt-freeze crusts. Near forested zones and in wind-protected areas the surface hoar has been blanketed by fresh snowfall. Fresh snow and drifts are being deposited atop this weak old snowpack surface, it is prone to triggering. The situation on sunny slopes is somewhat better, especially where the wind has generated a more irregular distribution of snow.

Sunday: the peaks will mostly be shrouded in clouds, intermittent snowfall, less in the afternoon. At higher altitudes, a NW wind will cause renewed snow transport. It will be very cold: -13 degrees at 2000 m, -19° at 3000 m. Winds will make the cold seem even greater. Monday: mostly sunshine in the Tauern and Nockberge, high-fog like clouds near the Northern Alps. At high altitudes, an icy cold NW wind with speeds reaching 40 km/hr will be blowing. At 2000 m: -13 degrees; at 3000 m: -20 degrees.

Avalanche danger levels will persist.