Lower Tauern Central

Assess steep shady slopes above 2400m with caution

Assess steep shady slopes above 2400m with caution

Avalanche danger above 2000m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Slab avalanches can be triggered by one sole skier and in unfavorable circumstances reach medium size where snow is sufficient or if fractures down to more deeply embedded layers occur. Danger zones occur esp. on NW/N/E facing slopes, esp. near ridgelines on occasion distant from ridgelines. Caution urged esp. at entry points into very steel gullies and bowls. During the course of the day, naturally triggered loose-snow avalanches (mostly Danger Level 1) can be expected in extremely steep south-facing terrain below 2800m. On steep grass-covered slopes, isolated small glide-snow avalanches are possible in isolated cases.

Settled fresh snow and older snowdrifts have been deposited on steep shady slopes atop an expansively metamorphosed snowpack which is prone to triggering in places, since it evidences a weak layer. Weak layers in the lowermost part of the snowpack are no longer likely to trigger. On sunny slopes and at lower altitudes, the bonding of fresh fallen snow to the old snowpack is generally good, the surface moistens during the daytime, forms a thin melt-freeze crust at night - not capable of bearing loads - and can forfeit bonding.

After an often star-studded sky at night, Thursday will have persistent foehn influence, sunny, very good visibility. Storm-strength southerly foehn winds will be blowing, gust reaching 60 km/hr in rear Tauern valleys, also palpable in Tennerngebirge/Hochkönig. At midday at 2000m: +2 degrees, in northern regions +5 degrees; at 3000m: -3 degrees.

No significant change expected. Caution urged towards fresh fallen snow in foehn-impacted regions. On sunny slopes, daytime snowpack moistening.