Hochschwab Mountains

Gliding snow/wet snow activity dominates up to high altitudes

Gliding snow/wet snow activity dominates up to high altitudes

Avalanche danger will increase as the day unfoleds from moderate to considerable above 1600 m. Due to persistent warmth and solar radiation, danger of glide-snow and wet-snow avalanches prevails at all altitudes already during the morning. On steep smooth slopes in all aspects, naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches are possible which can grow to large size. Avoid zones below glide cracks, even where the slopes are bare. Naturally triggered wet-snow avalanches are possible in steep terrain in all aspects, particularly on sunny slopes, they will increase in frequency as the day progresses. Backcountry tours should be terminated early in the day.

The snowpack surface can barely consolidate at high, the moist/wet snowpack loses its firmness quickly up to high altitudes during the daytime hours and becomes instable and even begins to glide downhill. Increasing sink-in depths are an indicator of loss of firmness. Very little snow on the ground at intermediate altitudes.

The Eastern Alps lie in the path of a high-pressure front. On Friday night, scattered clouds and very mild. On Saturday morning, residual clouds will disperse and sunshine will follow, except for a few cirrus clouds. Winds will be light-to-moderate from the west. Mild at all altitudes. At 2000 m rising from +8 degrees in early moring to +13 degrees.

Due to the SW airstream it will be even milder on Sunday and Monday, and mostly sunny. In spite of nocturnal outgoing radiation the snowpack cannot regain its firmness, the wet-snow and gliding snow problems dominate up to high altitudes. Backcountry tours should be terminated early in the day.