Hochschwab Mountains

Glide-snow, wet-snow avalanches are the main danger. Snowdrifts only at very high altitudes.

Glide-snow, wet-snow avalanches are the main danger. Snowdrifts only at very high altitudes.

Avalanche danger is moderate, the main peril stems from glide-snow avalanches which can release naturally due to the thoroughly wet snowpack in all aspects with ongoing solar radiation, especially on south-facing steep grass-covered slopes and forest zones and can place exposed transportation routes and trails at risk. Areas with danger zones (glide cracks, fractures) should be avoided. On extremely steep slopes, particularly on sunny slopes, naturally triggered wet-snow avalanches can release or be triggered by additional loading. The likelihood of dry-snow slab avalanches triggering is limited to extremely steep shady gullies and entry zones above 2400 m.

After 50 cm of new snow in the Northern Alps and up to 25 cm in the Niedere Tauern on Wednesday, on Wednesday night it rained intensively up to high altitudes. The snowpack became thoroughly wet and instable, naturally triggered avalanches were the result. Due to persistently mild temperatures the snowpack can only regain a bit of firmness, in spite of outgoing nocturnal radiation. Due to solar radiation the moistness of the snowpack, and therefore the loss of stability, will increase during the daytime, especially on sunny slopes. A lubricating layer exists at ground level, furthering the gliding movement of the whole snowpack. bove 2400 m on shady slopes, snowdrift accumulations can be triggered due to poor bonding to the old snowpack (cold reserves).

On New Year’s Eve: high-pressure conditions will create a brilliantly sunny day with mild temperatures. Fog or residual clouds along the Northern Alps will disperse during the morning. Temperatures at midday at 2000 m: +8 degrees; at 1500 m +11 degrees, far too high for this juncture of the season. The NW winds will be brisk in the northeastern regions. Following a night of clear skies, the high-pressure front will continue to dominate, bringing us sunny and extremely mild weather on New Year’s Day, with brisk-to-strong NE winds particularly in the northeastern regions.

Persistent warmth, the snowdrifts further receding, only slightly less of a problem for glide-snow and wet-snow avalanches.