Lower Tauern South

Stable melt-freeze encrusted snow - Small wet-snow avalanches due to daytime warming

Stable melt-freeze encrusted snow - Small wet-snow avalanches due to daytime warming

Avalanche danger is LOW. Only few danger zones. Some danger comes from near-surface wet-snow slides and avalanches (small-to-medium) which can trigger naturally due to daytime warming. In high alpine regions above 2400 m, avoid the most recent snowdrift accumulations in extremely steep terrain. The risks of being swept along and forced to take a fall require alertness on north-facing slopes above 2400 m and on east-and-south facing slopes above 2800m.

The most recent bout of fresh snow has metamorphosed and is well bonded with the base. In high alpine regions above 2400 m the near-surface snow on shady slopes is still dry; elsewehre there is a firm melt-freeze crust which turns to firn with sunshine and warmth, but not deeply. The old snowpack is compact and has no more reserves of cold (except on north-facing slopes above 2500m). Old potential weak layers along the Sahara-dust layer are not currently triggerable.

On Friday, following a night of star-studded skies, it will be sunny and clear with outstanding visibility and low air moisture. During the afternoon, some convective cloud-buildup. Light to moderate northerly winds at high altitude. At 2000m: 3 degrees; at 3000 m: -3 degrees. On Friday night, star-studded skies. Good outgoing longwave radiation. On Saturday, good visibility and sunshine, decent mountain weather. In the afternoon the visibility will become diffuse, towards evening the risk of rain showers (snow above 2200m) will increase. Winds will be no disturbance. At 2000 m: between 1 and 5 degrees; at 3000 m: -4 degrees.

On Saturday: similar conditions. On Sunday: conditions will be far more variable (also nocturnal skies on Saturday will no longer be clear).