Goldberg Group Central

Foehn storm. Instable snowdrift accumulations.

Foehn storm. Instable snowdrift accumulations.

Avalanche danger above the treeline is CONSIDERABLE (3), below that altitude danger is MODERATE. The snowdrift masses from Tuesday/Wednesday are triggerable even by minimum additional loading. Potential avalanches can be small-to-medium. Most danger zones are in W/N/E aspects, particularly in steep terrain distant from ridgelines down as far as steep forest lanes. Backcountry terrain is full of opposites: exposed zones are hard, windblown, often very little snowdrift; leeward zones and gullies are filled to the brim with drifts. Due to warming, naturally triggered loose-snow avalanches are possible on very steep sunny slopes below 2000 m. Small-to-medium sized.

The two bouts of snowfall of the last couple of days (10 to 30 cm) have settled somewhat on sunny slopes and below 1800 m. The proneness to triggering has receded. The old snowpack beneath it has settled and is topped by a firm melt-freeze crust. Inside the old snowpack are hidden soft laysers of faceted crystals; these layers are currently not a threat.

On Thursday, very sunny. Very good visibility. Strong southerly foehn wind (50 to over 60 km/hr). At 2000 m: 1 degree. On Friday, variably cloudy, clouds will pass through, some minor snowfall is possible in early morning. Sunny phases during the daytime with adequate visibility and light convective cloud. Temperatures will drop noticeably. Moderate NW winds, generally around 30 km/hr in exposed zones. At 2000 m: -4 degrees, at 3000 m: -16 degrees.

Still a snowdrift problem above the treeline, especially on north-facing slopes and in gullies.