Goldberg Group Central

Isolated danger zones in old snow, caution urged towards high-altitude snowdrift accumulations

Isolated danger zones in old snow, caution urged towards high-altitude snowdrift accumulations

Avalanche danger above 2500m is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is LOW. Isolated danger zones for slab avalanches occur on very steep slopes in all aspects, where medium releases are possible by large additional loading. Snowdrift accumulations occur near ridgelines and in gullies and bowls, particularly on south-facing slopes, where triggering is possible even by minimum additional loading (possibly growing if deeper layers are triggered). Below 2400 m, isolated small-to-medium sized glide-snow avalanches cannot be ruled out.

At high altitudes there is about 10-20 cm of fresh snow, on Friday a bit more will come. A melt-freeze crust has formed up to high altitudes on sunny slopes. At high altitudes there are often weak layer in transitions from the old snowpack into the fresh snow from the latest bout of precipitation. Old snowdrift masses atop the weak layers are unlikely to trigger.

On Friday cloudbanks will move in from the west, visibility will deteriorate particularly in the Pinzgau. As of midday in the regions west of the Hochkönig, rainfall and snowfall (above 1000m) can be expected. Winds will be light to moderate from west to north. At 2000 m: -4 degrees; at 3000 m -11 degrees.

The snowdrift problem will intensify as a result of fresh snow and wind.