Hochschwab Mountains

Cold north wind, fresh snowdrifts

Cold north wind, fresh snowdrifts

Avalanche danger above the treeline is considerable. Main problem on Monday: fresh drifts in the backcountry touring zones, esp. on N/E/S facing slopes. Danger zones occur in ridgeline terrain and behind discontinuities, in gullies and bowls. Where the snow has become bonded by the wind, caution is imperative. A slab can trigger from 1 person, usually size 2 releases unfold. In high-altitude zones which have not yet discharged, isolated glide-snow avalanches are still possible.

At the start of this period of precipitation the snow fell with little wind. On Sunday the fresh snow and drifts blanketed the soft fresh snow which fell on Saturday. In the last 24 hours in the Eisenerzer Alps and Hochschwab up to 30 cm, in the Dachstein region up to 40 cm, in the Schladminger Tauern to Turrach 30 cm of fresh snow has been registered. The cold, stormy winds have transported the snow, bonding is poor, prone to triggering, but the old snowpack is compact and without marked weak layers (topped by a thick crust capable of bearing loads). Only on very steep shady slopes, faceted crystals beneath the crust are weakening the snowpack.

Due to brisk northerly winds (in the east, gusty, stormy, bitter cold), the summits are disappearing in fog and clouds. Light snow showers will pass through, esp. in northern Upper Styria, elsewhere little precipitation is anticipated (except in the rimline ranges). Aat 2000 m: -13 to -7 degrees. The northerly winds make it feel even colder.

On Tuesday, heavy cloud moving into southern Styria from the east, shrouding the peaks, with a bit of snowfall along the western rimline mountain ranges. In the north, sunny and cold weather, brisk winds, slightly receding avalanche danger.