Lower Tauern South

Trigger-sensitive snowdrifts and glide-snow problem

Trigger-sensitive snowdrifts and glide-snow problem

Above the treeline the danger of slab avalanches is MODERATE (level 2). Avalanche prone locations occur mostly on steep N-E-S facing slopes, behind protruberances in the terrain and in gullies, also distant from ridgelines due to strong wind impact. In some places, a small-to-medium slab avalanche can be triggered even by minimum additional loading (1 person). Recognizing the danger spots is made more difficult by poor visibility. Below the treeline, such danger spots occur more seldom, at those altitudes the danger stems mostly from glide-snow avalanches, particularly on very steep grassy slopes.

Above 1500 m there is 50 to 100 cm of snow on the ground far and wide, significantly more in some high alpine regions of the Tauern and Steinernes Meer/Hochkönig. The fresh snow from the weekend has settled noticeably. StormyW/N winds, also southerly winds on the Main Tauern Ridge, have deposited the snow in highly varied fashion, gullies and bowls are filled to the brim and ridgelines often bare. Thus, snow depths are widely varied even in small zones. Bonding of fresh snow to the old snowpack is generally good, fracture spots for slab avalanches are most often found inside the fresh snow or fresh snowdrifts atop loosely-packed snow. At lower altitudes the rain from Tuesday is loading the snowpack, making gliding snow over the ground more possible.

The mountains on Tuesday will be shrouded all day long in heavy cloud, frequent snowfall is expected, rainfall until midday up to 800-1100 m. During the course of the day the W/NW winds will intensify, making temperatures at 2000m drop from -4 to -8 degrees, at 3000 m from -11 to -15 degrees. Windspeeds will reach about 70 km/hr in open terrain. By evening, 10-20 cm of fresh snow is anticipated at high altitudes, up to 30 cm in the Northern Alps. On Wednesday, variably cloudy skies in the morning, isolated snowfall. During the course of the day it will turn sunny. Cold: at 2000 m, -11 to -7 degrees; at 3000 m, -18 to -14 degrees. Light to moderate W/SW winds, reaching windspeeds of 40 km/hr. On Thursday, clouds will dominate, The Tauern will lodge barrier clouds on the southern flanks, strong to stormy southerly foehn winds will prevail. Intermittent light snowfall, the snowfall level (especially in inneralpine regions) will ascend to above 1000 m.

On Friday, more snowfall, but with less wind impact. Avalanche prone locations with older snowdrift accumulations will be blanketed over. Danger of slab avalanches will continue to be at least moderate.