Hochschwab Mountains

Considerable avalanche danger due to fresh snowdrifts above treeline. Also: beware glide-snow activity.

Considerable avalanche danger due to fresh snowdrifts above treeline. Also: beware glide-snow activity.

Above the timberline considerable avalanche danger due to snowdrift accumulations threatens. Danger zones are mainly on N/E/S facing slopes, especially behind protruberances and at entry points ito gullies and bowls, where slab avalanches can be triggered even by one person. On smooth grassy slopes, naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches are possible which, in isolated cases, can place exposed transportation routes at risk. Zones below glide cracks should be avoided.

The snowpack base is melt-freeze encrusted and compact due to warm phases and rain impact. Atop of it on Saturday, up to 50 cm of fresh snow was deposited, first without much wind, later with strong-to-stormy NW winds, transporting the snow and depositing new drifts on E/S facing slopes. Weak layers inside the fresh snow have been preserved by the cold. Furthermore, in transitions from the warm snowpack base to the cold fresh snow/drifts, a weak layer can form with time. Over steep grassy slopes the snowpack is still gliding.

On Tuesday morning north of the Main Alpine Ridge skies will largely be overcast, and during the course of the day the cloud cover will become heavier and descend so that even the summit zones suffer reduced visibility. Particularly the western mountain ranges will get minor snow showers. Temperatures at 2000 m will lie at -4 degrees. Winds will remain light all day long.

Wednesday will bring clouds amd moderate NW winds, strong in eastern regions. In the northern barrier cloud regions a bit of snowfall is anticipated, possibly heavier in the eastern mountain ranges. The snowdrift problem from the weekend will diminish, only in the furthermost eastern regions will a new snowdrift problem be generated.