Weisseck, Muhr Valley

Southerly foehn wind is depositing snowdrifts distant from ridgelines

Southerly foehn wind is depositing snowdrifts distant from ridgelines

Avalanche danger above 1600m is considerable, below that altitude danger is low. Main danger stems from freshly generated trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations. Slab avalanches can be triggered by one sole skier in some places and grow to medium size, also naturally triggered avalanches are possible. Danger zones occur also distant from ridgelines, near forest rims, behind protruberances and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls on W/N/E facing slopes. As amounts of fresh snowfall increase, naturally triggered, mostly small loose-snow avalanches are likely. On shady steep slopes, fractures can in isolated cases penetrate down to more deeply embedded weak layers and the releases then grow to larger size. Caution urged in transitions from shallow to deep snow.

The fresh snowfall is being transported far-reachingly, deposited on shady slopes atop faceted expansively metamorphosed snowpack surfaces. In addition, blanketed fresh snow inside the masses of fresh fallen snow constitutes a weak layer. Apart from that the snowpack in wind-protected shady terrain is loosely packed. In wind-exposed terrain the snowpack surface is highly varied.

On Tuesday, poor visibility. Clouds and fog will dominate. Rainfall and snowfall will be frequent, snowfall level in early morning at 2000m, later in the day descending to 1000m. About 10-30cm of fresh snow is anticipated, most on the Main Alpine Ridge. The southerly winds will ease off during the day, also in the Tauern. At 2000m, temperature dropping from +3 to -4 degrees; at 3000m from -2 to -10 degrees.

Snowdrift accumulations remain prone to triggering