Hochschwab Mountains

Cold, fresh snowdrift accumulations

Cold, fresh snowdrift accumulations

Avalanche danger in Northern Alps, Niedere Tauern and Hochschwab region is moderate above the treeline. Storm winds, combined with fresh snowfall, are leading to wide-ranging snow transport. Caution urged on N/E/S aspects where slabs can be triggered even by minimum additional loading which can then fracture down to more deeply embedded layers of the snowpack. Fresh cornices are instable and can trigger.

The snowpack layering is undergoing a radical change. Fresh snow and snowdrifts blanket surface hoar and soft layers in wind-protected terrain. Another potential weak layer will probably form inside the snowdrifts themselves. The old snowpack is being weakened by faceted crystals near melt-freeze crusts: these are weak layers.

On Thursday a cold front will force temperatures lower, bring storm-strength winds and snowfall. From Dachstein to Gesäuse and Hochschwab, heavy snowfall is anticipated (20-30 cm of fresh snow, more from place to place). The intensity will increase in the afternoon. Temperature at midday at 2000 m: -10 degrees. The NW winds will reach speeds of 80-120 km/hr in exposed terrain, strongest on the Main Alpine Ridge in the Hochschwab and Veitsch regions.

From Dachstein to Hochschwab, repeated bouts of snowfall (10-20 cm of fresh snow expected, locally more). The NW winds will reach speeds of 80-120 km/hr. Avalanche danger will increase significantly. The likelihood of naturally triggered loose-snow and slab avalanches will increase.