Lower Tauern Central

Lots of fresh snow in Northern Alps

Lots of fresh snow in Northern Alps

Avalanche danger above 1500 m is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is LOW. The risks stem mostly from small-to-medium slab avalanches which can trigger even by minimum additional loading. Danger zones occur in steep ridgeline terrain, in steep gullies and bowls and behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain, esp. in W/N/S facing terrain. Frequency of danger zones increases with ascending altitude. Naturally triggered small-to-medium loose-snow avalanches and isolated glide-snow avalanches are possible in extremely steep terrain.

Atop a springtime surface with many melt-freeze crusts, on shady high-alpine slopes also with faceted layers, very cold fresh snow has been deposited: 15-25 cm, up to 30-40 cm in the barrier cloud zones of the Northern Alps. In open terrain, the W/N winds transported the fresh snow, in the Tauern region from NE winds. Bonding is generally adequate. Potential fracture points for slabs are found mostly in the blanketed fresh snow, also the blanketed surface hoar on steep north-facing slopes are risky. At intermediate altitudes there is little snow, at low altitudes the fresh snow fell on bare ground.

On Sunday, visibility often reduced by clouds and fog, intermittent minor snowfall, hardly any sunshine. Winds will intensify, shift from NW to NE. In the afternoon winds will reach 30 km/hr, in the Tauern region 40-60 km/hr. Cold. At 2000 m: -14 degrees; at 3000 m: -21 degrees.

No significant change expected. The cold will preserve the snowdrift problem.