Goldberg Group Central

Southerly foehn wind is depositing snowdrifts distant from ridgelines

Southerly foehn wind is depositing snowdrifts distant from ridgelines

Avalanche danger above the treeline is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Main danger stems from freshly generated snowdrift accumulations. Small slab avalanches can be triggered by one sole skiers in some places above the treeline. Danger zones occur also distant from ridgelines, near forest rims, behind protruberances and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls on W/N/E facing slopes. On shady steep slopes, fractures can in isolated cases penetrate down to more deeply embedded weak layers and the releases then grow to larger size. Caution urged in transitions from shallow to deep snow.

The fresh fallen snow is being transported, then deposited on shady slopes atop an expansively metamorphosed snowpack surface. Apart from that the snowpack in wind-protected shady terrain is rewarding for skiers and boarders: expansively metamorphosed powder. From places to place there is surface hoar. In wind-exposed terrain the snowpack surface is highly varied.

On Sunday, limited visibility due to fog and clouds, intermittent rainfall or snowfall (5-15 cm expected, the snowfall level will descend from 1600 to 1000m). At 2000m: 0 to -4 degrees; at 3000m: -5 to -9 degrees. On Saturday night the southerly foehn wind will reach windspeeds of 80 km/hr in the Tauern, 50 km/hr in the Northern Alps, then slacken off significantly during the daytime hours, and then intensify once again on Sunday evening.

On Monday, little change expected. On Tuesday, snowdrift problem intensifying due to fresh snow and wind.