Lower Tauern South

Avoid fresh snowdrifts

Avoid fresh snowdrifts

Avalanche danger above 2200 m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Fresh snowdrift accumulations can trigger by 1 person above 2200 m on steep shady slopes, releases often medium-sized. Danger zones will increase with ascending altitude, also distant from ridges, in steep gullies and bowls and behind discontinuities in all aspects. Latent danger of glide-snow avalanches persists. In high starting zones, avalanches can reach medium-to-large size. Avoid zones below glide cracks. During the course of the day, small loose-snow avalanches can be expected on extremely steep sunny slopes due to solar radiation. In high-altitude zones where snowfall has been heavy in the Hohe Tauern and Northern Alps, isolated avalanches can grow to medium size.

Weak layers occur esp. in near-surface layers of the snowpack. Due to the lower temperatures on Saturday, weak and trigger-prone layers can occur between old snow and fresh drifts (cold on warm). Other weak layers occur inside the drifts. More deeply embedded weak layers of faceted crystals near crusts are triggerable only in isolated cases. Below 2200 m, the fresh snow and drifts have generally bonded well with the old snowpack. On sunny slopes the fresh snow will quickly become moist and forfeit its firmness, esp. in steep rocky terrain.

Showers can sbe expected during the nighttime hours, snowfall down to valley floors, but only minor amounts. Winds will be strong-to-stormy from the west, esp. in the northern ranges. On Monday, visibility initially reduced by heavy clouds in the Northern Alps, but dry weather will soon prevail, the clouds disperse. In afternoon, pleasant conditions, good visibility, lots of sunshine. Initially brisk W/NW winds will slacken off noticeably. At 2000 m: -8 to 1 degree; at 3000 m: -15 to -7 degrees.

Snowdrift problem will recede as snow settles.