Glockner Group Pasterze

Caution urged towards trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations

Caution urged towards trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations

As a result of fresh snowfall and strong-to-storm strength winds from varying directions, trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations have been generated since Friday, particularly in gullies, bowls and behind protruberances in the landscape. These can be triggered by one single skier in all aspects above 2200m. Due to winds the drifted masses will continue to grow further, particularly on SE-S-SW facing slopes in high alpine regions. Caution is urged esp. along the Salzburg. border in the regions where there has been snowfall. Avalanches are medium-sized in isolated cases. Apart from the risks of being buried in snow masses, the danger of being swept along and forced to take a fall need to be taken into consideration.

From place to place, 20-25 cm of snowfall has fallen since Friday. Winds were blowing at strong-to-storm strength. Freshly generated snowdrift accumulations are poorly bonded with each other and with the old snow. The upper layers of the snowpack are soft; the lower layers are faceted.

On Monday, the low-pressure front will maintain its impact, the mountains will be shrouded in clouds, light snowfall will prevail initially. Moderate to strong NE winds. At 1000m: -1 degree; at 2000m: -6 degrees; at 3000m: -11 degrees.

Forecasts of developments, including of avalanche danger, are still uncertain.