Lower Tauern South

Fresh snowdrifts generating as day progresses

Fresh snowdrifts generating as day progresses

Avalanche danger above 1230 m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Fresh snowdrift accumulations can trigger by 1 person above 2300 m on steep shady slopes, releases mostly small, isolated large-sized. Danger zones will increase as the day unfolds and with ascending altitude, also distant from ridges, in steep gullies and bowls and behind discontinuities. Latent danger of glide-snow avalanches persists. In high starting zones, avalanches can reach medium-to-large size. Avoid zones below glide cracks.

During the course of the day on Saturday, fresh snowdrift accumulations will be generated on shady slopes above 2300 m and be deposited atop loose surfaces. The drifts constitute the slab and near-surface soft layers (graupel, decomposed snow) serve as the weak layer. More deeply embedded weak layers of faceted crystals near crusts are triggerable only in isolated cases. Wherever the snowpack was already moist (up to 2200 m, higher on sunny slopes) a melt-freeze crust capable of bearing loads will form during the nighttime hours. In early morning there will be firn snow.

In the early part of the night, clouds are heavy, after midnight clouds will disperse. On Saturday a marked cold front will move in. In early morning skies will be clear, later clouds will move in, bringing heavy showers, storm-strength winds. In the Northern Alps, gusts of 80-100 km/hr are expected, in exposed terrain more. From Tennengebirge southwards, winds will be weaker, but still reach 100 km/hr. Snowfall level will drop rapidly, in evening lie at 1000 m. At 2000 m: dropping from +4 to -2 degrees; at 3000 m: from -3 to -7 degrees. The cold air masses will move more into northern than into southern regions. All in all: at 1500 m 10-20 cm of fresh snow, more on the Main Alpine Ridge.

At high altitudes, beware freshly generated snowdrift accumulations