Gutensteiner Alpen

Still prone to triggering wind slabs in gullies and bowls! Beginning of wet snow problems at lower elevations.

Still prone to triggering wind slabs in gullies and bowls! Beginning of wet snow problems at lower elevations.

The avalanche danger is rated as "moderate" above the tree line. Stormy north-westerly winds create fresh drift snow packs, which in some places can be triggered by individual winter sports enthusiasts as medium slab avalanches. Spontaneous wet snow slides and smaller gliding avalanches can occur at lower elevations.

Stormy north-westerly winds form fresh wind slabs. The connection between the drift snow packs and the old snowpack is not yet sufficient in places. In shady high altitudes, the old snowpack is unfavourably structured in places with crusts and embedded angular crystals. As it warms up, the snowpack at lower altitudes loses stability and can start to glide snow on steep grassy slopes.

The night into Sunday will bring consistently cloudy weather, the mountains will continue to be blustery with north-westerly winds and scattered rain or snow. Sunday itself will also remain rather cloudy, with some clearing in the south. A total of up to 5 cm of new fallen snow is expected at high altitudes. The snowfall level will rise from 900 to around 1600 metres above sea level during the day. The temperature at 1500 metres will rise from -1 to +2 degrees. Stormy winds from the north-west.

The unsettled, rainy and mild north-westerly weather conditions continue at the start of the week. The drifting snow problem is easing.