Fischbach Alps East, Wechsel

Fresh snowdrift patches will be generated by stormy winds

Fresh snowdrift patches will be generated by stormy winds

From Koralpe to Wechsel region, low avalanche danger prevails. Nevertheless at high altitudes those zones deserve high attentiveness which have had fresh snow and newly generated snowdrifts over the last week. The snowdrift patches can trigger a small slab avalanche in isolated cases.

Between Koralpe and Wechsel region the snowfall until now has been minor. Some new snow was registered last week in the Fischbacher and Mürztaler Alps, and the Gleinalpe. Due to permanently strong winds, plateaus were windblown and some snowdrift patches were generated which now cover softer layers or surface hoar. The snowpack is currently melt-freeze encrusted and hard.

The Eastern Alps lie in the grip of a NW air current which is delivering moist, instable air masses, now slowly slackening off. On Saturday, a warm front will approach and bring precipitation to the eastern rim of the Alps. The Dachstein-Tauern regions will have high-altitude clouds, a bit of sunshine, and in the east the cloud cover will increase and repeated bouts of snowfall are expected. Snowfall level will ascend during the day to 1000 m. High clouds of the warm front will reach the rimline ranges and Graz mountains, but it will remain dry. Sunshine is likeliest in the far southwest in the Gurktal Alps. Temperatures at midday at 2000 m: -7 degrees; at 1500 m: -5 degrees. Strong W/NW winds. On Saturday night a cold front will create storm anew.

On Sunday on the northern flank of the Alps, snowfall level will drop and precipitation is expected. Not much change in avalanche danger levels.