Lower Tauern South

Daytime situation strikingly marked by recent storm winds

Daytime situation strikingly marked by recent storm winds

The snowdrift danger above the treeline is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is LOW. Danger zones where large additional loading can trigger the compact-to-hard snowdrift masses are found in gullies, bowls, behind protruberances. The further up you go, the easier a slab can be triggered. Potential avalanches are small, in the Tauern and on Hochkönig/Tennengebirge medium-sized. Due to storm winds, conditions in outlying terrain are starkly varied over smallest spaces. Due to fresh snow the situation will rapidly change in the evening. Avalanche danger on Monday night will rise significantly (snowdrifts and fresh snow atop hardened wind-impacted surfaces).

The combination of gale-strength winds and relatively mild temperatures on Sunday has left behind its marks. The terrain is utterly windblown, often the old snowpack has been laid free. Soft layers beneath the snowdrifts and weak intermediate layers (around the crusts inside the snowpack) will not be endangered on Monday, i.e. require larger additional loading.

On Monday, initially dry. Clouds will become denser, light snowfall is possible in the afternoon. Temperatures will rise, then fall. In the afternoon stormy winds (60-80 km/hr) will rise. In the evening and during the night, heavy snowfall with lots of wind which will persist throughout the day on Tuesday. In the northern barrier cloud regions, highly intensive snowfall is expected. In 24 hours, until Tuesday evening, up to 50 cm of fresh snow is expected. At 2000 m: -8 degrees; at 3000 m: -13 degrees. Outlook: more snowfall on Wednesday, though not as much. All in all, by Thursday moring up to 80-100 cm of fresh snow. On Thursday, higher temperatures and quieter.

Significant and swift increase in avalanche danger on Tuesday evening and, most of all, on Wednesday. Due to the fresh snow, conditions will be treacherous.