Ybbstaler Alpen

New fallen snow and stormy winds lead to considerable wind slab problems!

New fallen snow and stormy winds lead to considerable wind slab problems!

The avalanche risk is considerable above 1400 m (level 3!). New fallen snow and stormy winds create fresh snowdrift accumulations in all aspects, which can be triggered by individual winter sports enthusiasts as medium-sized, occasionally also as large slab avalanches. The avalanche prone locations are mainly in gullies, bowls and behind terrain edges. Take particular care in the transition from a little to a lot of snow. Spontaneous slab avalanches as well as loose snow avalanches are possible from very steep slopes. Wet snow slides are possible at low altitude.

20 to 40 cm of new fallen snow has fallen under the influence of strong winds. In addition, there is another 20 to 30 cm of new fallen snow in accumulation areas, which is transported by north to north-easterly winds. Weak layers are located within the drift snow packs or in the transition to the old snowpack. In deep layers in northern, partly also in western and eastern aspects, there are still faceted crystals or floating snow in the old snowpack, but these may already be interspersed with melt-freeze crusts. At low altitudes, the new fallen snow is moist and may start to slide in places.

It will continue to snow lightly to moderately in the Lower Austrian mountains during the coming night, with the snowfall intensifying from the east in the morning hours. Tomorrow, Friday, the mountains will be covered in clouds all day and heavy snowfall is expected in places. The snowfall will only gradually subside during the night to Saturday. The temperature at an altitude of 2000 metres will be around -11 degrees. The temperature at an altitude of 1500 metres will be around -7 degrees. Strong to gale-force winds from the north-east to north with gusts of between 80 km/h in the west and 120 km/h in the east. The snowfall level will be in the valleys and will rise to around 800 metres during the day.

The avalanche danger remains the same on Saturday. The snowfall will subside in the night to Saturday and the wind will weaken. Due to the rise in temperatures, spontaneous wet snow slides are possible at low altitudes.