Hochschwab Mountains

Fresh snow and snowdrifts. Wet-snow problem at low altitudes.

Fresh snow and snowdrifts. Wet-snow problem at low altitudes.

In the Northern Alps and Niedere Tauern, avalanche danger has risen to moderate. Rainfall will set in during the night and destabilize the snowpack, naturally triggered wet-snow avalanches are possible. In backcountry touring regions, fresh snowdrifts require caution, minimum additional loading can suffice to trigger a slab. Old snow: isolated avalanche prone locations on north-facing slopes.

Due to rainfall, the snowpack is forfeiting its stability up to intermediate altitudes. The snow is becoming moist-to-wet. At high altitudes the fresh snow blankets icy layers on south-facing slopes and soft layers on north-facing slopes. On extremely steep shady slopes the weak layers weaken the snowpack layering through faceted crystals.

On Tuesday night a cold front will pass through Styria. From Dachstein over Niedere Tauern as far as the Rax there will be rainfall, heavier in the NW regions. The snowfall level will descend to 1100 to 1600 m. Wednesday: in the morning, rainfall and snowfall in the Northern Alps, poor visibility, snowfall level from east to west between 1100 and 1400 m. Near the Hochschwab skies will remain gloomier for longer. Winds in the morning hours will be blowing at moderate to brisk strength, on the eastern Alpine rim at storm-strength, from northwesterly directions, slackening off in the afternoon. At 2000 m: descending to -4 to 0 degrees.

Snowdrifts at high altitudes: caution.