Hochschwab Mountains

New drifts in E/S aspects, on shady slopes older trigger-sensitive drifts reach to below the treeline

New drifts in E/S aspects, on shady slopes older trigger-sensitive drifts reach to below the treeline

At high altitudes, esp.in leeward E/S aspects avalanche danger remains moderate. Stormy NW winds will generate new drifts, triggering an avalanche is possible on steep slopes even by minimum additional loading, perhaps even likely. Also at low altitudes on shady slopes, avalanche danger is moderate, the snowpack here has not yet been able to settle.

On Tuesday and Wednesday the sunny weather and mild temperatures helped the snowpack to settle, especially on sunny slopes. Last week’s fresh snow was transformed to melt-freeze crusts, also frozen and is capable of bearing loads. On shady slopes the snow stayed powdery to some extent, often blanketed by a layer of surface hoaer on leeward slopes. At high altitudes fresh drifts were generated, older blanketed weak layers could become a weak-layer threat.

On Thursday the high-pressure front weather comes to an end. The edges of a warm front will cross Styria during the day, sunshine will be rare. Temperatures on the northern flank of the Alps at 2000 m: -1 degree; at 1500 m: +1 degree. Milder on the southern flank of the Alps: +1 and +4 degrees. Winds will be westerly, blowing at strong velocity, on Thursday night a cold front will bring stormy NW winds. Temperatures will drop measurably and in the Northern Alps and Tauern snowfall will set in. On Friday on the northern flank of the Alps, low lying cloud, precipitation all day long, the snowfall level at valley level. Further south the snowfall will be more seldom. From Gurktal Alps to the rimline ranges the northerly foehn wind can disperse the clouds somewhat.

Initially unchanged conditions. On Friday, measurably increasing avalanche danger.