Lower Tauern Central

Snowdrifts still easily triggerable at rims of drifts

Snowdrifts still easily triggerable at rims of drifts

Avalanche danger above the treeline is CONSIDERABLE (3). Restraint and experience are advantageous. Snowdrift accumulations are found in all aspects, one person can trigger an avalanche. Slabs can be medium-to-large sized. Caution: danger zones lie immediately adjacent to windblown spots. Naturally triggered avalanches are rare. Isolated loose-snow avalanches in steep rocky terrain and isolated glide-snow av avalanches where there was bare ground before this snowfall are possible.

Snowpack:tThe abundant fresh snow has settled, at least up to 1800 m on sunny slopes. Sink-in depths and proneness to triggering have decreased. Beneath the latest drifts and the recent mass of fresh snow there are still weak layers which can be triggered (blanketed powder on shady slopes and faceted weak layers beneath the latest melt-freeze crusts). Outlying terrain: due to extreme storm winds the snow has been transported and irregularly distributed. Wind exposed terrain is windblown or hard-pressed. Most of the fresh snow is found between forest rims and terrain distant from ridgelines and on S/E slopes.

On Monday, sunshine, nearly cloudless skies, little wind, slightly higher temperatures. At 2000 m: -4 degrees, at 3000 m, -8 degrees. On Tuesday, cloudless skies again, outstanding visibility. The NW winds will intensify slightly (30 km/hr). Mildest day of the week. Temperature at 2000 m: -1 degree, at 3000 m, -5 degrees.

Further decrease in avalanche danger.