Kitzbühel Alps Upper Pinzgau

Snowdrift accumulations prone to triggering in places

Snowdrift accumulations prone to triggering in places

Avalanche danger above 2200m is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is low. Slabs, mostly small-sized, can be triggered even by minimum additiional loading both near to and distant from ridgelines and behind protruberances in the landscape on southwest to north to east-facing slopes. Size and frequency of danger zones tend to increase with ascending altitude If they fracture down to more deeply embedded layers in the snowpack the releases can grow to medium size. On extremely steep sunny slopes, small loose-snow avalanches are possible.

Fresh and older snowdrift masses lie atop a thin rain crust above 2200-2400m, on steep sunny slopes atop a melt-freeze crust which is only partially capably of bearing loads. Near the crusts are weak layers of faceted, expansively metamorphosed crystals. In wind-protected terrain the fresh snow is still very loosely-packed, winds have generated a bonded slab. The border to the old snowpack and loosely-packed snow inside the snowdrifts can serve as a weak layer, more deeply embedded weak layers are triggerable only in isolated cases. Particularly in wind-protected zones there is snow which is rewarding to skiers, it is faceted, expansively metamorphosed powder which is settling increasingly with rising temperatures.

Nocturnal skies will be clear and mild, winds generally light-to-moderate. At 2000m: +2 degrees; at 3000m: -2 degrees. On Saturday, superb backcountry touring weather, sunshine and great visibility. Winds will be largely moderate to strong from east-to-south, in exposed ridgeline and summit terrain of the Hohe Tauern with gusts reaching 60 km/hr. At 2000m: +3 degrees; at 3000m: -1 degree. On Saturday night, star-studded skies.

Snowdrift problem is receding