Hochschwab Mountains

Snowdrift accumulations on east and north-facing slopes.

Snowdrift accumulations on east and north-facing slopes.

Avalanche danger above the treeline is moderate. Danger zones occur mostly on E/N facing slopes, where fresh drifts have accumulated on Thursday and Friday in those aspects and can be triggered by minimum additional loading. Special caution is urged near ridgelines at the entry points into gullies and bowls (transition from shallow to deep snow). Drifts should not be underestimated. Due to higher temperatures, glide-snow avalanches can trigger at intermediate altitudes. Also medium-sized naturally triggered slab avalanches in steep rough and rocky terrain are possible on Saturday.

The S/W winds will transporte the snow to N/E aspects. Winds shifted on Thursday and Friday, so new snowdrift accumulations are being deposited in gullies, bowls and behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain. Caution: the drifts lie atop a layer of surface hoar. Near ridgelines a melt-freeze crust has formed. The fundament is weakened by expansively metamorphosed crystals.

On Saturday the warmth will be palpable. Summits will sometimes be shrouded in heavy cloud, occasional unhampered sunshine. Rainfall or snowfall is not expected before evening. Winds will be brisk to strong from the northwest, moderate in the rimline ranges. At 2000 m: -2 degrees at midday on the Dachstein, +1 degree on Koralpe.

Instable weather on Sunday, the summits often veiled in fog, north of the Main Alpine Ridge some light snowfall. Further south it will remain largely dry, but with brisk to strong NW winds reaching speeds over 60 km/hr.