Glockner Group Central

Danger zones: in gullies and on esp. on steep ridgeline slopes

Danger zones: in gullies and on esp. on steep ridgeline slopes

Avalanche danger is MODERATE. The variable winds in recent days have loaded E/NW slopes with drifts. A medium slab avalanche can be triggered even by minimum additional loading. Avalanche prone locations occur mostly near ridgelines, also distant from ridgelines in high alpine regions, and in steep gullies and bowls. In high alpine regions, superficial avalanches can fracture down to more deeply embedded layers and grow to large size.

The huge amounts of cold fresh snow over the last few days were able to settle in the un-windy and intermittently sunny weather. Clear nocturnal skies have formed surface hoar. Where the sun has moistened the snowpack on Wednesday, a thin melt-freeze crust could form.On shady slopes the snowdrifts have not bonded well with the old snowpack. A potential fracture point is the very cold and loose blanketed snow. Apart from the, the old snowpack has melt-freeze crusts and depth hoar.

On Thursday, initial sunshine. Visibility will deteriorate during the daytime from the north. In the Lungau Nockberge, brisk northwesterly winds will arise towards evening. Temperatures will drop noticeably. At 2000 m: -6 degrees, at 3000 m: -10 degrees. Also on Friday, the peaks will be shrouded in heavy cloud, intermittent snowfall is possible.

Little change is expected.