Nock Mountains

Fresh drifts in high alpine regions (southerly foehn wind)

Fresh drifts in high alpine regions (southerly foehn wind)

Avalanche danger is LOW. In high alpine regions, the danger stems from currently generating snowdrifts (foehn), easily triggered but small and shallow, bringing a greater risk of falls. At high altitudes (above 2200 m) isolated avalanche prone locations for slab triggerings in the old snow in steep terrain distant from ridgelines and in very steep gullies, esp. in N/E/W aspects. Caution in transitions from shallow to deeper snow. Below 2400 m the main danger is from isolated glide-snow avalanches (mostly small, seldom medium-sized) on extremely steep grassy slopes.

Below 2200 m the snowpack is extremely moist, has regained firmness from the alternating temperatures. It often has a breakable melt-freeze crust, sometime unpleasantly cut. At high altitudes the surfaces show striking effects of wind: windblown, wind-hardened, wind swirls, etc. Only in high alpine regions are there small snowdrift patches formed by W/N winds, currently by foehn. A potential fracture point (faceted, soft) is located beneath the melt-freeze crusts, elsewhere the old snowpack is not prone to triggering.

On Tuesday, heavy cloud until past midday, light conditions diffuse. In high alpine regions, somewhat reduced visibility, improving in the afternoon. Southerly foehn blowing at 50-70 km/hr along the Tauern, elsewhere also windy. It will turn mild again: at 2000 m: 0 to 6 degrees; at 3000 m: -1 degree. On Wednesday, snowfall right from the start, visibility often quite limited. By evening, 15 cm expected in the Lungau, elsewhere 20-40 cm. Intensifying winds (50-80 km/hr) shifting to westerly/northerly, will transport the fresh snow. At 2000 m, dropping from -3 to -10 degrees; at 3000 m from -6 to -15 degrees.

Pronounced snowdrift problem at high altitudes plus poor visibility on Wednesday require experience in avalanche assessment on-site.