Hochschwab Mountains

Trigger-sensitive snowdrifts particularly in E/W aspects, including in wooded zones

Trigger-sensitive snowdrifts particularly in E/W aspects, including in wooded zones

Avalanche danger in the eastern Northern Alps has decreased slightly, is now considerable above 1500 m. Triggering a slab avalanche is likely by minimum additional loading in many places, particularly in extended E/S aspects. The western massifs have sunshine and mild temperatures, which is rapidly settling the snowpack, this process is delayed in the eastern massifs due to unfavorable weather. Here, trigger-sensitive drifts can reach down to forested zones.

Due to stormy winds in recent days the fresh snow has been distributed in highly varied ways. In Hochschwab region up to 70 cm. Snowpack layering is quite unfavorable: atop an encrusted old-snow fundament, often blanketed with surface hoar, cold and loose new snow was deposited. With further precipitation heavier snow landed atop this layer in all aspects, and became increasingly prone to triggering. Exposed terrain is windblown or compressed. Most of the snow lies in zones distant from ridgelines down to the forests.

The Eastern Alps are caught between a high over the Atlantic and a NE air current. From the west, high-pressure conditions are coming.. Styria is divided in two: west and southwest are bathed in sunshine; the eastern massifs still endur a moist-cold climate and low lying clouds. Temperatures in the western massifs will reach -2 degrees at 2000 m; -2 degrees at 1500 m in the west, -5 in the east. On the eastern rim of the Alps, strong NW winds will rise. Wednesday, quite similar. The high over the Azores will expand, but the eastern regions of Styria will remain moist. In the course of the afternoon the clouds will disperse somewhat. The NW winds will remain strong here, unlike in the other regions.

Little change in the avalanche situation.