Lower Tauern South

Avoid fresh snowdrift accumulations and zones below glide cracks

Avoid fresh snowdrift accumulations and zones below glide cracks

Avalanche danger is considerable. Above 2200 m small fresh snowdrift accumulations from the last 24 hours can be triggered by 1 person, esp. on NW/N/E facing slopes behind protruberances, in steep gullies and bowls, and grow to medium size. Danger zones increase with ascending altitude. The older snowdrift accumulations which were generated during the snowfall are mostly triggerable only by large additional loading (group of persons, breaking cornice) and can grow to large size. Over the last few days, large cornices have formed. Due to higher temperatures the risk of their breaking is heightened. Avoid zones below cornices. Up to 2500 m, glide-snow avalanches can trigger naturally at any time of day, esp. on steep smooth slopes (grass-covered, rocks) in all aspects, medium-sized at 1400-2500 m. Furthermore, due to rain impact wet loose-snow avalanches are possible in extremely steep terrain, mostly small sized.

Stormy winds have done their work on the snowpack, variable surfaces should be expected during descents. In many places the surfaces can bear loads. In general, the fresh snow from the weekend has settled well. Wide-ranging snowdrift accumulations have been generated at high altitudes, on shady slopes deposited atop a loose layer of faceted crystals. Even where the snowpack surface was encrusted, a faceted layer could have formed before the snow fell. In high alpine zones above 2500 m the old snowpack base has faceted crystals near the crusts.The warm ground enables the entire snowpack to glide downhill when the ground is smooth. The weight-load of fresh snow and wind reinforces this process. The snowpack surface is moist up to 2000 m, thoroughly wet at lower altitudes.

On Monday, quite sunny weather right from the start with good visibility. High cloudbanks will be no disturbance. It will remain dry. The W/NW winds will continue to be stormy (up to 90 km/hr). Very mild. At 2000 m: +5 to +6 degrees; at 3000 m: -1 degree.

Danger of glide-snow avalanches persists. The snowdrift problem is diminishing.