Wölz Tauern South

Older and fresh snowdrifts, variable winds, danger zones increase with nearness to Main Tauern Ridge

Older and fresh snowdrifts, variable winds, danger zones increase with nearness to Main Tauern Ridge

The focus of avalanche danger lies in the regions where fresh snow will be heaviest in northern Upper Styria. But the fresh drifts on the southern flank of the Alps should not be neglected which generated last week amid strong NW winds as of Tuesday and SW winds on Thursday. Also on Friday, stormy NW winds can generate further snowdrift accumulations, particularly in E/S aspects. Danger above the treeline is moderate, though even minimum additional loading is sufficient to trigger the shallow snowdrift patches. Transitions from deep to shallow snow require special caution.

Already last weekend the snowdrifts were being deposited onto hardened, sometimes surface-hoar encrusted surfaces. Since Tuesdsay the NW winds have intensified and on Friday will intensify further. The old snowpack beneath the drifts was able to settle, but on steep high-altitude shady slopes the snowpack is riddled with faceted corn snow forms and melt-freeze crusts, thus is weakened; and in lee terrain is covered with surface hoar. Elsewhere the snowpack is wind-pressed or else hard and icy.

The Eastern Alps lie in the grip of a NW air current which is delivering moist, instable air masses, now slowly slackening off. On Saturday, a warm front will approach and bring precipitation to the eastern rim of the Alps. The Dachstein-Tauern regions will have high-altitude clouds, a bit of sunshine, and in the east the cloud cover will increase and repeated bouts of snowfall are expected. Snowfall level will ascend during the day to 1000 m. High clouds of the warm front will reach the rimline ranges and Graz mountains, but it will remain dry. Sunshine is likeliest in the far southwest in the Gurktal Alps. Temperatures at midday at 2000 m: -7 degrees; at 1500 m: -5 degrees. Strong W/NW winds. On Saturday night a cold front will create storm anew.

On Sunday on the northern flank of the Alps, snowfall level will drop and precipitation is expected. Not much change in avalanche danger levels.