Avalanche forecast

Fresh snowdrifts, often weak layering. Increasingly frequent glide-snow avalanches

Fresh snowdrifts, often weak layering. Increasingly frequent glide-snow avalanches

Fresh snow and drifts become increasingly prone to triggering with ascending altitude, can release even with minimum additional loading. Avalanche prone locations are found particularly above the timberline, in steep ridgeline terrain and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Activities beyond secured ski slopes require experience in avalanche assessment on-site and defensive conduct in awareness of risks. In additioin, at high altitude shady steep terrain, weak ground level layers can trigger in transltion zones from deep to shallow snow by large additional loading in particular. If avalanches fracture down to deeper layers of the snowpack they can grow to large size. At low and intermediate altitudes on steep grass-covered slopes, in forest clearances and on hillsides, increasingly frequent naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches are possible. Glide-snow avalanches are extremely hard to foresee, they can release at any time of day or night.

There was another 10 cm of fresh snow registered widespread, in the Arlberg and northern regions up to 15-20 cm. Amid intermittently strong-velocity winds the snow was transported, and danger zones increased particularly above the treeline. Fresh snow and drifts of recent days were deposited on top of a loose, in some spots bonded and consolidated and rain-encrusted, settled snowpack. Below about 1800 m the snowpack is well settled but moist, which furthers gliding movement of the whole snow cover over smooth ground. Bonding inside the upper layers (often riddled with graupel) and to the old snowpack is moderate to poor, making it prone to triggering. At mid-level of the snowpack on high-altitude shady slopes, faceted crystals are evident. There is currently only limited data available from high altitude zones.

Quite sunny in the morning, soon high-altitude clouds will move in above the summits. This afternoon the cloud cover will become denser, then descend, deteriorating visibility. Towards evening, light snowfall will set in. Temperature at 2000 m: -9 to -2 degrees. High-altitude winds brisk to strong from the north.

During the night tonight, the snowfall level will ascend to nearly 1700 m. On Monday, clouds will disperse and it will become very mild in the mountains. Through the forecast higher temperatures the avalanche situation will change decisively in character: more frequent wet-snow avalanches are expected. Glide-snow avalanches will continue.