Wölz Tauern South

Persistent weak layer problem in northern and eastern sectors, covered by fresh wind slab! Wind slabs and persistent weak layers are still prone to triggering

Persistent weak layer problem in northern and eastern sectors, covered by fresh wind slab! Wind slabs and persistent weak layers are still prone to triggering

The avalanche risk is assessed as moderate above the tree line and low below. There is still a persistent weak layer problem in the northern and eastern exposures. In addition, fresh pillows of wind drifted snow can be triggered as small slab avalanches by low additional loads. Medium-sized slab avalanches are also possible when breaking through the weak old snowpack. The danger areas are mainly located in the transition from little to more snow as well as behind terrain edges and in the entrance area of gullies and bowls. The avalanche prone locations are often difficult to recognise.

Depending on the amount of new snow and the effect of the wind, new and wind slab snow was deposited on a soft snow surface in places and on surface hoar in sheltered locations. The wind slab in particular is still prone to triggering in higher, steeper areas. There is significantly more snow in shady gullies and bowls than on sunny slopes. In the northern and eastern exposures, the old snowpack continues to be weakened by crusts and layers with faceted crystals and floating snow; the persistent weak layer problem remains. There is still significantly less snow than average. Below around 1600 metres, the snowpack is wet.

It will snow heavily on the northern side of the Alps during the night to Saturday, with snowfall levels between 1000 and 1200 metres. Saturday will start mostly cloudy, with a few snow showers possible in the north. The weather will improve tentatively during the daytime changes, but there is little chance of longer sunny spells and the peaks will only rarely be clear. Temperatures at 2000 metres will be around -2 degrees, at 1500 metres between 0 and +2 degrees. The wind will be moderate to brisk with gusts of up to 40 km/h from the south to north-west.

On Friday, there will be a brief intermittent high with some sunny spells. In the afternoon, it will start to get cloudy again from the west. The avalanche danger decreases slightly.