Hochschwab Mountains

Still trigger-sensitive drifts on shady high-altitude slopes. Wet-snow, glide-snow avalanches at low altitudes.

Still trigger-sensitive drifts on shady high-altitude slopes. Wet-snow, glide-snow avalanches at low altitudes.

Moderate avalanche danger: through higher temperatures and rain impact the snowpack has forfeited its firmness. Result: more moist loose-snow avalanches; likelihood of glide-snow avalanches is higher. Danger zones occur primarily on steep grassy slopes at high altitudes and on steep hillsides. Slab avalanches are likeliest on steep ridgeline slopes at entries into gullies, bowls, behind protruberances.

As a result of stormy NW winds on Thursday, new snowdrifts have accumulated. Clear, windless skies on Thursday night, thereby generating surface hoar which deteriorated on Friday. On sunny slopes and in general on low-altitude shady slopes the snow is moist. Older snowdrift zones occur primarily on N/E/SE facing slopes above the treeline. Soft layers can make the snow prone to triggering.

On Friday night a warm front will move in from the west. Tenacious fog will persist in the valleys until afternoon, high-altitude clouds will dominate higher up (light snowfall). Clouds will then disperse, in southern regions skies will be cloudless, then in the evening new cloud cover will move in. The S/SE winds (at high altitudes W/SW) will be mostly light. Temperatures at 2000 m at midday: -4 degrees; at 1500 m: -1 degree. A stormy NW air current will bring a marked perturbance to the Eastern Alps on Sunday: gray skies from the start, snowfall above 1200 m, stormy NW winds. As of midday, clouds will disperse and some sunshine is expected. Temperatures will remain unchanged.

Slight rise in avalanche danger on Sunday due to storm-strength winds.