Lower Tauern North

Pay heed to dangers of falling

Pay heed to dangers of falling

Avalanche danger above the timberline is moderate. Fresh snowdrift accumulations from Friday can be triggered by 1 person in some places and release a slab, sometimes medium sized. Most danger zones are above the treeline on N/E facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies. Drifts are often blanketed over, thus they are not easily recognized. The dangers of falling outweigh those of being buried in snow masses. A few small loose-snow avalanches/slides can be triggered naturally in steep terrain. Isolated glide-snow avalanches are still a threat, despite lower temperatures. Where snow depths are sufficient, large-sized avalanches are possible (most medium-sized). Avoid zones below glide cracks.

Fresh snow (10 cm) and snowdrifts from Friday are gradually bonding with the old snowpack surface. A soft layer beneath the melt-freeze crust (wind crusts and rain-ice crusts) is the likeliest weak layer below the fresh snow and drifts from Friday. The loose snowslides over the latest melt-freeze crust surface. Older snowdrift accumulations unlikely to trigger, only by large additional loading, otherwise the old snowpack is stable.

On Sunday, initially sunshine, then from the west compact and high-altitude clouds will move in, hamper the sun, though visibility will remain adequate. Light SW winds. At 2000 m: frising from -4 to 0 degrees.

Due to higher temperatures, likelihood of dry slab avalanches triggering will recede. Gliding snow activity will gradually increase.