Hochschwab Mountains

Gliding snow/wet-snow activity: often considerable danger

Gliding snow/wet-snow activity: often considerable danger

Avalanche danger will increase as the day unfolds from moderate to considerable above 1500 m. Due to persistent warmth and solar radiation, danger of glide-snow and wet-snow avalanches prevails at all altitudes already during the morning. On steep smooth slopes in all aspects, naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches are possible which can grow to large size. Avoid zones below glide cracks, even where the slopes are bare. Naturally triggered wet-snow avalanches are possible in steep terrain in all aspects, particularly on sunny slopes, they will increase in frequency as the day progresses. Backcountry tours should be terminated early in the day.

Melt-freeze crusts of varying thickness form at night. The snowpack surface can barely consolidate at high, the moist/wet snowpack loses its firmness quickly up to high altitudes during the daytime hours and becomes instable and even begins to glide downhill. Increasing sink-in depths are an indicator of loss of firmness. Very little snow on the ground at intermediate altitudes.

A high-pressure front, dry and extremely mild air from North Africa has moved over the Eastern Alps. On Sunday night, clear skies, very mild (+10 degrees at 2000 m) zero-degrere level at 4000 m. On Monday, sunshine, SW winds will be stronger (gusts in NE regions 60 km/hr). At 2000 m: +15 degrees, mildest in foehn-influenced northern regions.

On Tuesday, still very mild, strong SW winds. Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly. On Tuesday night a change in weather will bring lower temperatures and some precipitation.