Fischbach Alps East, Wechsel

Low avalanche danger. But caution urged towards small snowdrifts at high altitudes!

Low avalanche danger. But caution urged towards small snowdrifts at high altitudes!

Avalanche danger is generally low. Only above the treeline are there isolated danger zones in the form of shallow snowdrift accumulations, particularly at entries into steep gullies and directly behind protruberances in the terrain where isolated slab avalanches can be triggered.

Prior to the onset of winter on Friday, there was a cohesive area-wide snowpack only above about 1500 m. This snowpack fundament is marked by intermittent phases of higher temperatures and rainfall, making it moist at intermediate altitudes and melt-freeze encrusted at high altitudes, or at least riddled with such crusts. Surface hoar was formed on the surface in many places during the night of clear skies. Atop this fundament, fresh snow deposited since Friday accompanied by storm-strength NW winds is leading to new shallow snowdrifts being generated.

On Tuesday, a perturbance will brush Upper Styria. The south lies at the edge of a weak Adriatic low. Along the Northern Alps and Niedere Tauern, low lying clouds will dominate, precipitation will spread from the west, the snowfall level descend gradually from 900 m down to low lying areas. Most of the fresh snowfall (appx. 20 cm) is expected between Dachstein and Totes Gebirge. Further to the east and south, much less snow is expected. Also from the Gurktal Alps as far as the Koralm, less precipitation to start with, the snowfall level will lie at 800m. Subsequently there may be some bright intervals. Winds will become increasingly stormy. Midday temperatures: at 2000m, -5, at 1500m -3 degrees.On Wednesday, weather conditions will quiet down, high pressure zone influence is expected, winds slackening off, temporarily colder. On Thursday the high will shift to southwesterly and temperatures will rise. On Friday an Adriatic low will gain in force.

Avalanche danger will remain low.