Hochschwab Mountains

Moderate avalanche danger - circumvent fresh snowdrifts on extremely steep high altitude slopes

Moderate avalanche danger - circumvent fresh snowdrifts on extremely steep high altitude slopes

Avalanche danger above 2000m is moderate, at lower altitudes danger is low. Main danger stems from older snowdrifts which are insufficiently bonded with the fundament and where low additional loading by one sole person can trigger a slab avalanche in steep entry zones into gullies and bowls in all aspects., triggerable mostly by large additional loading, sometimes be minimum loading. Most releases remain small.

At high altitudes, depending on aspect and landscape, older snowdrift mases or loose snow atop a melt-freeze encrusted snowpack fundament, lie deposited. In between them in many places are weak layers of faceted crystals (“cold on warm”). The snowpack fundament has already been fully moistened up to 2200 m, is currently stable. Only at high altitudes on shady slopes are there still more deeply embedded weak layers.

Good Friday will start with sunshine but clouds will rapidly move in, temperatures rise slightly. At midday at 2000 m: -4 degrees. Winds will be brisk from the northwest. In the evening esp. in N/E regions, light snowfall will set in, snowfall level at 1100m. The southern regions will have better conditions. On Easter Weekend, a weak cold front will bring lower temperatures and some fresh snow.

Avalanche danger will slowly recede.