Lower Tauern Central

High prone to triggering in wind slabs

High prone to triggering in wind slabs

The avalanche risk is high above the tree line (4) and considerable below. Individual naturally triggered avalanches are still possible and in many places medium and sometimes large slab avalanches can easily be triggered by individuals (even from a distance). All aspects are affected, but increasingly north and east-facing steep terrain. Danger areas are not easy to recognise everywhere, which is why caution and a very defensive choice of route is still advised. In low and medium altitudes, spontaneous wet loose snow avalanches and gliding avalanches are possible.

Abundant new fallen snow, which fell with rising temperatures and was characterised by strong winds, overlaying wind slabs from the previous days, which in turn lay on an unfavourable base of faceted crystals and deep frost. In areas protected from the wind, on shady slopes above about 2000 m and on sunny slopes above 2400 m, surface hoar has also been snowed in in places. Breaks occur primarily between the last snow packs, but can also penetrate through to the coarse-grained old snow foundation under heavy loads. High avalanche activity and very good blasting successes document the unfavourable snow layering. At low and medium altitudes, heat and rainfall put a strain on the snowpack. In some places, the entire snowpack glides on very steep, unstructured terrain.

During the night to Monday, precipitation will be light at best. The north-westerly wind will gradually pick up again, reaching gusts of 40 to 60 kilometres per hour. During the day it will be windy and changeable, passing showers will remain unproductive. Occasionally the clouds will soften with strong north-westerly winds (gusts of 50 to 70 km/h in exposed high areas). At 2000 m around 0 degrees, at 3000 m around -7 degrees.

Precipitation will set in again, with rain falling at times up to around 2000 metres on Tuesday. Above that, 20 to 40 cm will fall. The avalanche situation remains tense.