Fischbach Alps East, Wechsel

Low avalanche danger. Southern regions have better weather.

Low avalanche danger. Southern regions have better weather.

Avalanche danger in Styria is low. At intermediate and low altitudes the danger of naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches on steep smooth grassy slopes still threatens. These can trigger at any time of day or night, zones below glide cracks should be avoided. Due to diffuse solar radiation, increasingly frequent wet loose-snow avalanches can trigger from steep zones which have not yet discharged. On very seteep N/E facing slopes at high altitude, in addition, isolated slab avalanches cannot be ruled out by large additional loading (persistent weak layer).

The snowpack has settled well, is mostly stable. On higher-altitude shady slopes the snowpack is mostly dry, moist lower down, in places it is already isotherm. Depending on wind impact and solar radiation, the surface is melt-freeze encrusted or hardened, a loose layer exists only on shady wind-protected slopes. Trigger-sensitive weak layers exist more deeply embedded inside the snowpack in the form of faceted crystals around older melt-freeze crusts. In addition, when the snowpack is thoroughly wet there is a wet sliding layer in the transitions to the ground which is responsible for glide-snow avalanches.

A stormy NW air current will bring Sunday’s weather to STyria. On the northern flank of the Alps, often gray skies, northerly foehn wind will disperse the clouds on the southern flank of the Alps. Along the Northern Alps and on the northern flank of the Niedere Tauern, rainfall will set in during the latter part of the night, then turn to snowfall above 1000 m during the day. Stormy NW winds will accompany the precipitation. South of the Main Alpine Ridge, more sunshine, less wind. On the northern flank of the Alps at 2000 m: -3 degreesd; at 1500 m: +1 degree; on the southern flank of the Alps +1 to +4 degrees. On Monday, precipitation will ease in the northern regions, but clouds and fog will persist. In the south, sunny weather will prevail. The NW winds will remain strong and temperatures will recede slightly.

No change in avalanche danger levels is expected.