Ybbstaler Alpen

Daily increase in avalanche danger due to wet snow avalanche activity

Daily increase in avalanche danger due to wet snow avalanche activity

The avalanche risk is moderate above the tree line throughout the day, below it is low until the morning and increases to moderate from late morning as the day warms up and the sun shines. The activity of spontaneous, wet loose snow avalanches increases during the daytime changes. These can detach themselves from very steep rocky and craggy terrain and on very steep forest slopes, especially on sunny slopes, but rarely become medium-sized. Occasionally, small to medium-sized, wet slab avalanches can also be triggered by winter sports enthusiasts on sunny slopes. Above the tree line, small to medium-sized, dry slab avalanches can still be triggered in a few places, especially on shady steep slopes. Gliding avalanches are only possible in isolated cases on snowy steep slopes with a smooth surface (e.g. long grass or foliage). In exposed locations, the snow surface is hard and icy in places and there is a risk of falling.

The snow cover has settled and is less prone to triggering. The snow surface, which is usually only thinly crusted can form due to radiation, is not load-bearing and often softens quickly. Depending on the aspect, the snowpack becomes damp or wet during the day changes up to high altitudes, which leads to decreasing firmness and destabilisation. On steep grass and forest slopes with larger snow reserves, the snowpack can start to glide snow. At shady high altitudes, there are prone to triggering weak layers in the transition to the hardness of the old snowpack. This is unfavourably structured and weakened in places with embedded crusts and faceted crystals.

The night is cloudless and on Saturday the sun once again shines undisturbed from a bright blue sky, with only a few occasional high clouds passing through. Fog will be limited to the valleys. The wind will blow weakly to moderately from the south at high altitudes. Temperatures of around 9 degrees are expected at an altitude of 1500 metres.

The wet snow problem eases with the influence of the cold front, but the persistent weak layer problem remains in the shady slopes.