Goldberg Group Central

Weak old snow and fresh snowdrifts

Weak old snow and fresh snowdrifts

Avalanche danger above 2000 m is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is LOW. Avalanches can in some places be triggered easily in the weak old snow and grow to medium size, mostly by large additional loading. on shady slopes above 2000 m and on sunny slopes above 2600 m. Special caution is urged in transitions from shallow to deep snow. Fresh snowdrift accumulations lie deposited on N/E ridgeline slopes, most are small but trigger-sensitive. In the afternoon, drifts will accumulate also distant from ridgelines due to southerly foehn wind. Caution urged in the foehn-impacted lanes. Isolated glide-snow avalanches continue to be possible on steep grass-covered slopes.

Fresh drifts were and are still being deposited on N/E facing slopes, sometimes stop soft layers. On shady slopes at high altitudes and in high alpine regions, on sunny slopes above 2600 m, there are expansively metamorphosed (faceted) crystals embedded inside the old snow. The snowpack at high altitudes is heavily wind-impacted and highly irregular. At low and intermediate altitudes (<2000 m) there is little snow on the ground.

On Friday night a weak cold front will pass through, bringing about 5 cm of fresh snow and often strong NW winds. On Saturday, residual clouds will disperse, winds ease rapidly. Sunshine until after midday. In the afternoon, clouds will shroud the peaks, strong-velocity southerly foehn wind will arise. At 2000 m: -6 to 0 degrees; at 3000 m -13 to -5 degrees. On Sunday, southerly foehn wind will be strong until after midday. In the afternoon the next cold front will pass through from the northwest, visibility will deteriorate significantly and snowfall will set in.

Not much change is expected to start with. Next week it will become noticeably more wintery.