Lower Tauern South

Predominantly favorable, but caution urged in wind-loaded zones

Predominantly favorable, but caution urged in wind-loaded zones

Avalanche danger above 1500 m is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is LOW. Slabs can be triggered in some spots at high altitudes and grow to medium, in isolated cases to large size, mostly by large additional loading (taking a fall, a group without distances, stomping...). Danger zones occur especially near ridges, but also behind protruberances distant from ridges and in gullies. Particularly in transitions into wind-loaded zones, fracture points can be touched. In steep rocky terrain, mostly small, superficial loose-snow avalanches release due to daytime warming. Below about 2500 m, furthermore, on very steep grass-covered slopes, glide-snow avalanches (mostly small-to-medium) can trigger in isolated cases. Due to rising southerly foehn win, trigger-sensitive snowdrifts will accumulate in gullies and on north-facing slopes.

On Friday there was 5-10 cm of fresh snow registered, accompanied by brisk (occasionally stormy) W/N winds (at high alpine regions from the northeast). The new lies on sunny slopes atop a thin melt-freeze crust, on shady slopes atop settled powder, otherwise above the treeline atop wind-pressed old snow. On steep sunny slopes the fresh snow is already becoming moist. The old snowpack has settled well, but has weak layers. 1. Persistent weak layer above intermediate altitudes, faceted crystals at melt-freeze crusts, can be triggered in open terrain because its blanketing is so thin; 2. gliding snow on steep grassy slopes below 2500 m, where the snowpack glides in its entirety over the ground.

On Saturday, outstanding mountain weather, pure sunshine, excellent visibility. Winds will be light to moderate from east to south, in the afternoon in high alpine regions of the Tauern brisk southerly foehn wind will arise. At 2000 m: rising from -8 to -2 degrees; at 3000 m: from -11 to -7 degrees. On Sunday, again sunny weather, outstanding visibility, winds in the Tauern region will be brisk from the south, elsewhere light. At 2000 m: -3 to 0 degrees; at 3000 m: -6 degrees.

In foehn-exposed regions of the Tauern, frequency and size of snowdrift accumulations will increase on Sunday.