Hochschwab Mountains

Avalanche danger will increase to moderate at high altitudes in late afternoon/evening

Avalanche danger will increase to moderate at high altitudes in late afternoon/evening

Low danger initially prevails, but will increase to moderate above 1800 m in late afternoon or evening. Caution: older and then, freshly generated snowdrifts can sometimes trigger as a slab avalanche. Danger zones occur behind protruberances at high altitude, near ridgelines and in general on leeward slopes in N/E/S aspects. Isolated naturally triggered slides in steep terrain and glide-snow releases on steep grassy slopes are possible. Glide cracks are indicators of this danger. Unfavorable visibility can be expected.

In the last few days there has been about 10cm of fresh snow registered, on Monday more is expected, most in NE massifs (5-10 cm by evening, 15cm maximum by midnight). Due to wind impact, snowdrifts could be generated at high altitudes, in isolated cases triggerable. Because of weather developments the snowpack is generally moist and melt-freeze encrusted.

Cloud cover will move in from the north early on Easter Monday, then spread and become dense. In northern and eastern massifs, repeated bouts of snowpack in the morning (fluctuating snowfall level around 1000m). Temperature curve from NW to SW. At midday at 1500m: -2 degrees; at 2000 m: -6 degrees in NE, much lower than in SW regions where up to +4 degrees at 1500m and 0 degrees at 2000 m are expected.

During the nocturnal hours the precipitation will spread throughout Styria. Also on Tuesday, dense intermediate altitude cloud can be expected all day long, plus snowfall, focal point in the northern barrier cloud regions. Snowfall level will fluctuate around 1000m (in NE regions lower, in SW regions higher). A moderate to strong NW wind will be blowing, shift to NE in the evening, then slacken off somewhat. Quite ample snowfall will bring wintery conditions back, accompanied by frequent (but easing) wind impact which will generate fresh snowdrift accumulations which require attentiveness. On Wednesday, weather conditions will improve and naturally triggered avalanches can be expected from the fresh snow on steep sunny slopes.