Hochschwab Mountains

Beware of fresh wind-drifted snow at high altitudes.

The main danger spots are smaller, fresh accumulations of wind drifted snow in the north, east and south sectors. Smaller slab avalanches can be triggered behind terrain edges and in entrances to gullies and bowls by even a small additional load. In some places, avalanches can tear through weak layers of old snow close to the ground and reach medium-sized dimensions.

Older wind drifted snow in the northern and eastern sectors of the high altitudes is largely stable. By Friday additional smaller, fresh and partly unstable accumulations of wind drifted snow will form in the extended eastern sector. Below this, a succession of crusts and softer layers will form an increasingly unstable snow layering in the higher altitudes.

During the night to Friday, a cold front will cause a strong drop in temperatures and extremely stormy north-westerly winds in the Styrian mountains. The snowfall level will drop down to the valleys. In the Niedere Tauern and the northern Kalkalpen (Dachsteingebirge to Hochschwab), 5 to 15 cm of fresh snow is expected. From the morning hours onwards, the snowfall will subside and retreat to the Nordstau region. At the same time, the wind will turn more and more to the north. It will remain stormy in the east of Styria. Mostly sunny conditions are expected from midday, but the winds will continue to blow strongly. Temperatures at an altitude of 2000 m will be a wintry -10 degrees.

Sunny and cold mountain weather is expected on Saturday. The avalanche danger remains unchanged.