Lower Tauern North

Fresh snowdrift accumulations are prone to triggering

Fresh snowdrift accumulations are prone to triggering

Avalanche danger above 1600m is considerable, below that altitude danger is low. Avalanches can in some places on NW/N/E facing slopes be triggered even by one sole skier. Danger zones occur esp. near ridgelines, behind protruberances in the landscape and in gullies and bowls. Size and frequency of danger zones tend to increase with ascending altitude. Danger zones are generally easily recognized. In isolated cases, avalanches can fracture down to more deeply embedded layers in the snowpack. Naturally triggered glide-snow and wet-snow avalanches are possible, the releases remain mostly small-sized.

Wherever snowdrifts accumulate they will be deposited atop loose fresh snowfall on shady slopes. Inside the old snowpack esp. on very steep north-facing slopes there are weak layers of faceted crystals above the timberline. On very steep grass-covered slopes the entire snowpack can glide away.

On Thursday, quite sunny, high altitude clouds will move in, hampering the sunshine. In the afternoon in the western Tauern, dense clouds will move in, sunshine will fall into the background and visibility can deteriorate, but it will remain dry. The southerly foehn wind will be strong in the morning (40 km/hr in the Northern Alps) but ease of during the daytime. At 2000m: 0 degrees; at 3000m: -4 degrees.

Snowdrift problem will decrease