Türnitzer Alpen

Low avalanche danger, watch out for fresh pillows of wind drifted snow at high altitudes.

The avalanche risk remains low. The clouds will thicken in the night to Tuesday. A north-westerly current will lead to new fallen snow under the influence of strong winds, with the most snow again falling in the Ybbstal Alps. In the morning, precipitation-free phases will predominate and sunny clear spells will occur on the eastern edge of the Alps. Later, the next snow and sleet showers will spread from the west.

The wind will weaken significantly on Sunday evening. The first half of the night will be mostly clear, then a warm front with stormy winds will move in from the west. While there will be no precipitation in the Rax-Schneeberg region, it may snow at times in the Türnitz Alps. The snowfall level will be between the lower elevations and 800 metres. It will remain windy during the day and the peaks will often be covered in clouds. A few snow or sleet showers will pass through, but on the eastern edge of the Alps it will mostly remain free of precipitation and there will also be sunny spells. Temperatures will rise from -12 to -6 degrees at 2000 metres and from -9 to -3 degrees at 1500 metres. There will be gale-force winds from the west with gusts of between 60 and 100 km/h.

Low avalanche danger, watch out for fresh pillows of wind drifted snow at high altitudes.

At high altitudes, there are sometimes considerable snowdrift accumulations in steep gullies and bowls. These are prone to triggering, especially in the transition from a little to a lot of snow. Tearing through weak layers of old snow is possible, but avalanches remain small. The risk of tearing and falling outweighs the risk of burial. Hardness or icy surfaces can be covered by little new fallen snow and be difficult to recognise.

The snow conditions are below average for mid-February. At high altitudes, there is a considerable amount of wind slab snow in places in gullies and bowls. The small amount of new fallen snow from the last few days has also been transported. The snow thickness is decreasing rapidly in areas distant from ridgelines. Above 1500 m, thin pillows of wind drifted snow can be found in northern and eastern exposures, while windward areas are often icy and snow-poor. Below 1500 m, a thin snowpack has formed on mostly bare ground.