Lower Tauern South

Fresh drifts prone to triggering

Fresh drifts prone to triggering

Avalanche danger above 2000 m is considerable, below that altitude danger is moderate. Main problem: snowdrifts. Above 2000 m the fresh snowdrifts esp. on N/S facing slopes are prone to treiggering. Avalanches in many places can be triggered by 1 person and reach medium size. Danger zones increase with ascending altitude, often unrecognizable due to poor visibility. Above 2500 m, weak layers in the old snowpack can be triggered. Danger zones esp. on shady very steep slopes. Transitions from shallow to deeper snow are unfavourable. Releases usually require large additional loading but can fracture down to deeper layers and then grow to large size. Below 2200 m the gliding snow activity will persist. Danger zones occur in all aspects. Glide-snow avalanches can release on steep grassy slopes and smooth rocky ground at any time of day and reach medium size. Avoid zones below glide cracks.

Through the intensifying winds, Wednesday’s fresh snow can be transported. Above 2000 m, a melt-freeze crust will form. Soft layers below it will become weak layers. In high alpine region above 2500 m the snowpack base still consists of crdusts with soft embedded layers. Despite dropping temperatures, the snowpack is moist up to 2000 m. Inside the snowpack, no weak layers are evident, the fresh snow is bonding well with the snowpack. On smooth ground (grass, rocks) when slopes are sufficiently steep, the entire snowpack can glide downhill.

Thursday will be highly instable, heavy cloud cover will domiante, much reduced visibility, repeated snow showers. Snowfall level will drop to 800 m. All in all, up to 10 cm of fresh snow is expected on Thursday, up to 25 cm at high altitudes. South of the Main Alpine Ridge, only a few centimetres expected. Winds below the treeline will be light, above it quite brisk from the northwest. At 2000 m: -6 or -5 degrees.

The gliding snow problem will gradually recede. The snowdrift problem will persist.