Lower Tauern South

Pronounced daytime changes lead to wet snow problem

Pronounced daytime changes lead to wet snow problem

During daytime changes, the danger quickly increases to level 2 "moderate". After the often load-bearing melt-freeze crust has softened, spontaneous wet snow avalanches are possible wherever there is still a large area of snow, i.e. on shady slopes at higher altitudes and on the remaining eastern and western slopes. Avalanches can occur spontaneously or be triggered by winter sports. They usually remain medium in size, but with the accumulation of wet snow and tearing through to weak layers close to the ground, large avalanches are conceivable in exceptional cases. Uncharacteristically long run-out lengths threaten open terrain.

The avalanche risk is low in the morning. Trigger points for dry old snow avalanches are only present at a few high points in the extended northern sector.

Overnight, a mostly stable melt-freeze crust forms, which softens during the day. Underneath is compact snow characterised by rain, but on shady slopes from around 2200 metres there are still weak layers of deep rime in the old snowpack close to the ground. The snowpack will become damp to wet up to high altitudes during the daytime changes at the latest. Low and sunny slopes are snowed out.

The night to Saturday will often be clear. In the northern Alps, high clouds will pass through at times. The frost line will be around 2500 metres. On Saturday, the sun will mostly shine in the morning, with a few spring clouds forming in the afternoon. Isolated showers cannot be ruled out. The wind will be mainly weak to moderately strong from different directions. The temperature at 2000 m will be 3 to 6 degrees, at 3000 m around -3 degrees.

Outgoing longwave radiation is limited at night and it cools down a little during the day. The danger of wet avalanches remains.