Wölz Tauern South

Persistent weak layers in high altitudes! Observe: fresh snowdrift deposits are present in some areas.

Persistent weak layers in high altitudes! Observe: fresh snowdrift deposits are present in some areas.

Moderate avalanche danger above 1.900 m, below that: low avalanche danger. Danger spots are located in high shady slopes behind ridgelines and in the beginnig of gullies and bowls as well as steep slopes. Slab avalanches within the old snow can be triggered by small additional load and can reach medium sizes especially in transition areas from thin to thicker snow covers. Due to the new snow amounts and the strong winds snowdrift deposits which are prone to triggering are possible which are to consider especially for risk of falling. Also spontaneous gliding snow avalanches are possible. Avoid areas below glide cracks.

Due to the cold front it’ll get cold and windy but only little snow. The new snow is drifting and accumulates as bonded layer on a loose old snow cover in shady slopes. The bonding between driftsnow and old snow is only poor. Summits are blown-off and icy or bare, gullies and bowls are filled with snowdrift. In shady high altitudes the snow cover is weakened due to layers of faceted snow crystals and sometimes snown in Graupel within the old snowdrift accumulations. Surface hoar has formed especially in basins. On smooth surfaces the snow cover can start gliding any time.

Thursday night a cold front coming from northwest moves in. Little snow falls. In the area of Totes Gebirge around 20 cm new snow in the Nordstau, Dachstein and the westerly Schladminger Tauern regions 10 cm new snow is expected. During the course of the day dense clouds are gathering coming from north between Dachstein and Hochschwab. In some areas it’s snowing a bit. Apart of that area the coldfront leaves southeast bound and the clouds are clearing.vivid northwesterly winds can get stronger in exposed summit areas. The temperatures drop and will be around -11 degrees at noon in 2.000 m. In 1.500 it will be -7 degrees.

No significant changes of the avalanche danger situation.