Schladming Tauern South

Moderate avalanche danger at high altitues - Caution: snowdrifts

Moderate avalanche danger at high altitues - Caution: snowdrifts

Avalanche danger above 2000 m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. At high altitudes esp. in N/SE aspects, snowdrifts have accumlated near ridgelines, triggereable by large additional loading as medium-sized slab avalanches. Danger zone occur behind abrupt drops in the terrain and at entries into gullies and bowls. At low altitudes the moist snowpack was able to settle and consoldated in the lower temperatures.

By Saturday morning, about 15 cm of snowfall was registered above 1500 m, 20 cm from place to place. It lies deposited behind abrupt drops in the terrain in N-S/E aspects as drifts which are well bonded with the snowpack. Further lower temperatures will help the snowpack to stabilize. On shady slopes at high altitudes, isolated weak layers are evident inside the snowpack.

Sunday will start with pleasant conditions, then from the NW dense cloud will move in bringing precipitation in the afternoon. At 2000 m: +1 degree; at 1500 m: +6 degrees. Snowfall level will descend by evening to 1000m, winds will shift to westerly-to-northwesterly. Due to a new cold front, 5-10 cm of fresh snow will be delivered to the mountains of Styria by Monday morning, in the western part of Niedere Tauern up to 20 cm, amid dropping temperatures. The precipitation will persist.

On Monday, avalanche danger will increase somewhat due to further snowfall and new snowdrifts.