Lower Tauern South

Freshly generated snowdrifts are prone to triggering

Freshly generated snowdrifts are prone to triggering

Avalanche danger above 1600m is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is low. In all aspects, small-to-medium slab avalanches can be triggerd by minimum additional loading in places. Danger zones occur mostly near ridgelines and behind protruberances in the landscape, esp. on W/N/E facing slopes, caution also urged near treelines and in forest clearances. Size and frequency of danger zones tend to increase with ascending altitude. As of 2000m, releases can fracture down to more deeply embedded layers inside the snowpack and grow to larger size. Small glide-snow and loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally. Avalanche danger above 2000m is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is low. Slabs, mostly small-sized, can be triggered even by minimum additiional loading both near to and distant from ridgelines and behind protruberances in the landscape on north, northwest and south facing slopes. If they fracture down to more deeply embedded layers in the snowpack the releases can grow to medium size. Isolated glide-snow avalanches reaching medium size are possible at any time of day or night.

Fresh and older snowdrift masses lie atop an expansively metamorphosed, loosely-packed snowpack surface with near-surface faceted crystals. Near surface crusts are weak layers of faceted, expansively metamorphosed crystals. Particularly in shady, shallow-snow zones there is snow which is rewarding to skiers, it is faceted, expansively metamorphosed powder which is settling increasingly with rising temperatures.

The brisk-to-strong S/SE winds will reach windspeeds of 90 km/hr at high altitudes in the Tauern valleys, elsewhere (foehn lanes) only 60 km/hr. Nocturnal skies will be clear and mild, sunshine and good visibility as of early morning. Foehn winds will reach peaks of 100 km/hr. At 2000m: +3 degrees; at 3000m: -3 degrees.

Snowdrift problem is receding slightly