Lower Tauern South

Caution on shady slopes: still danger zones for small slab avalanches. Otherwise predominantly favorable conditions.

Caution on shady slopes: still danger zones for small slab avalanches. Otherwise predominantly favorable conditions.

Avalanche danger is low. Freshly generated snowdrift accumulations can be triggered by one sole skier and reach medium size where snow is sufficient. Danger zones occur esp. on NW/N/E facing slopes above 2400m, esp. near ridgelines and behind protruberances in the terrain and at entries into steep gullies and bowls. Danger zones often blanketed, making them difficult to recognize. During the course of the day, naturally triggered loose-snow avalanches are possible in all aspects, esp. in extremely steep south-facing terrain below 2800m, releases will be generally small-sized. On steep grass-covered slopes, very isolated small glide-snow avalanches are possible.

The fresh snow has been deposited on steep shady slopes above 2400m atop an expansively metamorphosed snowpack which is prone to triggering in places. Weak layers in the lowermost part of the snowpack are no longer likely to trigger. On sunny slopes and at lower altitudes, the bonding of fresh fallen snow to the old snowpack is generally good, the surface moistens during the daytime, forms a thin melt-freeze crust at night - not capable of bearing loads - and can forfeit bonding.

Nighttime skies will be star-studded. On Tuesday, sunshine and very good visibility. Intermittent thin high-altitude clouds will pass through above summit level. Winds will remain light, southerly in the Tauern. Temperatures rising again. At midday at 2000m: +2 degrees; at 3000m: -4 degrees.

As temperatures gradually rise, likelihood of triggering will recede. The snowpack is moistening increasingly.