Mur Mountains, Gurktal Alps

Heed freshly generate snowdrifts

Heed freshly generate snowdrifts

Avalanche danger is MODERATE above 1500m, below that altitude danger is LOW. Fresh snowdrifts are the main danger.. Most danger zones occur on N/E facing slopes behind abrupt drops in the terrain (near to and distant from ridgelines) and in gullies and bowls in all aspects. Frequency of danger zones increases with ascending altitude. Triggering a small-to-medium sized slab avalanche is possible esp. at high altitudes, even by minimum additional loading.Naturally triggered small loose-snow avalanches and isolated glide-snow avalanches are possible in extremely steep terrain.

Above intermediate altitudes there has been 20-30 cm of fresh snow widespread, more in the northern barrier cloud regions, much less in the Nockberge. Due to strong W/NW winds the distribution of fresh snow is highly varied. Bonding to the moistened snowpack surface is favorable up to 1700-2100m, above that altitude it deteriorates due to the brittle, cold snowdrifts atop the melt-freeze crust, which serves as a potential fracture surface. Up to intermediate altitudes the snowpack on steep sunny slopes was fragmented or non-existent prior to this round of snowfall.

On Tuesday evening, briefly clear skies before on Tuesday night a warm front traverses the Eastern Alps. Thereby the NW air current weakens and the stormy winds ease. In addition, temperatures will noticeably rise. During the day, gray skies, minor snowfall possible on the northern flank of the Alps, though the snowfall level will ascend to about 1500m. Winds will be brisk from the west. At 2000 m: -4 degrees; at 1500m : -1 degree. Also on Thursday, gray skies but further rising temperatures.

Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly