Weisseck, Muhr Valley

Heed high-altitude snowdrifts

Heed high-altitude snowdrifts

Avalanche danger above 2000 m is moderate. Freshly generated snowdrift accumulations occur mostly near ridges on very steep shady slopes and in gullies and bowls and can be triggered by 1 person above 2300 m, releases often medium-sized. On very steep high alpine N/E/W facing slopes, also weak layers in the old snow can trigger by large additional loading. Slabs can become large-sized if they fracture down to weak layers in the snowpack. In steep grass-covered terrain, naturally triggered wet-snow avalanches are possible at any time, esp. below 2400 m. Glide-snow avalanches are usually medium-sized, occasionally larger higher up.

Fresh and older snowdrift accumulations lie deposited atop a moistened surface below 2300 m, are well bonded. Above that altitude the drifts on shady slopes lie deposited atop loose surfaces which can be weak layers. On W/N/E facing slopes there are faceted layers near melt-freeze crusts which are trigger-prone in isolated cases. At low and intermediate altitudes the snowpack is already thoroughly wet down to the ground. Hardly any longwave outgoing radiation during the cloudy night.

Along the Main Alpine Ridge and in the Nockberge, nighttime skies will be predominantly overcast. Southerly foehn winds will intensify continually, reaching windspeeds of 90 km/hr in high altitude Tauern regions by early morning, thereby lodging barrier clouds in the Nockberge and on the Main Alpine Ridge from the south. Further north, more pleasant conditions, sunshine and clouds alternating. At 2000 m: 0 to +3 degrees; at 3000 m: -3 degrees.

Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly.