Hochschwab Mountains

Moderate avalanche danger due to trigger-prone drifts behind discontinuities

Moderate avalanche danger due to trigger-prone drifts behind discontinuities

Avalanche danger above the treeline is moderate. Main problem: snowdrifts esp. on east and south-facing slopes deposited atop an unfavourable base. Danger zones near to and far from ridges, at entries into gullies and bowls, behind discontinuities. Instable snowdrifts are triggerable as small-to-medium slab avalanches even by minimum additional loading. Freshly generated cornices are brittle, instable, easily triggered. In shady, extremely steep terrain and gullies at high altitudes, isolated (also large-sized) avalanches can be triggered (persistent weak layer). Windblown, exposed surfaces are often icy and hard, acute danger of falling.

Snowdrift accumulations occur not only near ridges, also on E/S facing slopes. Faceted layers and surface hoar clinging to a melt-freeze crust are potential weak layers. Potential weak layers are faceted crystals and surface hoar atop a melt-freeze crust. The base is generally compact and without marked layers, only on steep shady slopes at high altitudes is expansively metamorphosed snow weakening the fundament. The surfaces are highly varied: wind crusts, eroded ridges, hard, icy surfaces. In some wooded areas the fresh drifts resemble powder, are unlikely to trigger.

On Thursday night temperatures will plummet and NW winds will intensify. On Thursday evening snowfall will set in in Upper Styria, the snowfall level drop swiftly to the valley floor. During the night the focal point of precipitation will move to the south, and by Friday midday snowfall everywhere will end. Gray, cloudy skies all day on Friday. In the valleys 5 cm, in the mountains up to 20 cm of fresh snow is expected. In Totes Gebirge/Dachstein region, in Hochschwab region, on Koralm and in the Gurktal Alps, up to 20 cm of fresh snow is possible. At 2000 m at midday: -14 degrees, at 1500 m: -10 degrees, a little milder in the south. Winds will be stormy in the eastern peaks, lesser in the west.

On Saturday, splended sunshine once again, cloudless skies, hardly any wind, but cold. At 2000 m: -9 degrees, at 1500 m: -6 degrees. Main problem: snowdrift accumulations.