Goldberg Group Central

Pronounced daytime changes lead to wet snow problem

Pronounced daytime changes lead to wet snow problem

During daytime changes, the danger increases rapidly to level 3 "considerable". After softening of the often load-bearing melt-freeze crust, some large spontaneous wet snow avalanches are possible everywhere. Particularly at risk are steep areas in the extended northern sector between 2200 m and 2600 m, terrain that has not yet been discharged on high east, west and south-facing slopes, and generally those aspects where there is still a lot of snow. In wet snow, avalanches can tear through to the ground, run uncharacteristically far and threaten open terrain. Triggering by winter sports and occasionally even remote triggering are possible.

In the morning, the avalanche risk is moderate above around 2,400 metres in steep terrain from west to north to east; in the high Alps, individual avalanche prone locations in dry, persistent weak layer snow are also increasingly found in the southern sector. Take care in the transitions from little to lots of snow.

Overnight, a mostly stable melt-freeze crust forms, which softens during the day. Beneath this lies compact snow characterised by rain up to high altitudes, but softer layers are embedded, especially at higher altitudes, which enable fractures near the surface. On shady slopes from around 2400 metres, there are still weak layers of angular forms and deep rime in the old snowpack close to the ground. The snowpack becomes moist to wet up to high altitudes during daytime changes at the latest. Low and sunny slopes are covered in snow.

Friday night will be mostly clear, with the possibility of low clouds along the Tauern mountains at the beginning. The frost line will be around 2500 metres. Tomorrow, Friday, there will be a few clouds and frequent sunshine with good visibility. In the afternoon, more clouds will develop and visibility may be limited at high altitudes. Isolated showers cannot be ruled out, from around 2200 to 2500 m as snow. The clouds will mostly clear again towards the evening. The wind will be mainly weak, along the Hohe Tauern also moderate from the north. Temperatures will reach around 6 degrees at 2000 metres and -2 degrees at 3000 metres.

Relatively good outgoing longwave radiation on Saturday night leads to daytime changes.