Lower Tauern South

Consider persistent weak layer in tour planning

Consider persistent weak layer in tour planning

The avalanche risk is considerable from around 2000 m, below that it is low. In a few places, medium to large dry slab avalanches can be triggered by individuals, especially in the aspects from north-west to east. At higher altitudes (from around 2400 m) they also occur on the west and south sides. Be especially careful at the transitions from little to more snow, where weak layers in the old snowpack can be addressed and avalanches can become large. Danger areas are difficult to recognise away from obvious pillows of wind drifted snow. Caution and a defensive route choice are still advised, especially when danger signs such as booming noises, cracks and fresh avalanches occur. Individual gliding avalanches occur on steep grassy terrain. Wet loose snow avalanches and snow slabs from sunny slopes that have not yet been unloaded are also possible.

The snowpack can cool down well overnight and crust can form. In the morning hours, the melt-freeze crust is stable, but softens again on sunny slopes during the day. In general, the snowpack on the sunny slopes is damp or wet up to high altitudes, on shady slopes from around 2000 m there is still dry, partly soft snow, which is increasingly settling. However, the connection to the angular old snow below is still poor, weak layers can be found at the transition to the old snow as well as deeper in the old snowpack. Deep and sunny middle layers are often already snowed out.

The night will be clear and mostly cloudless. Thursday will be characterised by sunny, high-pressure weather. Visibility is excellent, the wind is weak at first. From midday, weak to moderate southerly winds will pick up on the main ridge. There will also be some Sahara dust in the air, especially in Oberpinzgau, but this will only have a minor impact on visibility. At 2000 metres between 1 and 3 degrees, at 3000 metres around -4 degrees.

Little change in avalanche danger. The persistent weak layer problem continues to make the situation difficult to assess in the terrain.