Lower Tauern South

Fresh snow and drifts often deposited atop an unfavorable old snowpack surface

Fresh snow and drifts often deposited atop an unfavorable old snowpack surface

Avalanche danger above the treeline is CONSIDERABLE, below that altitude danger is moderate. Avalanches can in some zones be triggered by one sole skier, esp. in the afternoon, and grow to medium size. Danger zones occur in the old snow on north-facing slopes above 2200m, in all aspects above 2400m. Above 2200m weak layers can be swept away with the releases and the avalanches thereby grow to large size. Small-to-medium glide-snow avalanches can trigger naturally in very to extremely steep grass-covered terrain.

During the day on Monday, 20-30cm of fresh snow with wind impact expected at high altitudes. Inside the snowdrifts, trigger-sensitive weak layers are forming. Below 2200m on north-facing slopes there are faceted crystals in the lowermost part of the snowpack. Above 2400m on W/S/E-facing slopes there are faceted crystals between crusts. Below 2000m the old snow is moist, often there is a crust on the surface. Where the ground was bare of snow prior to this precipitation, the entire mass of fresh fallen snow can glide away.

On Monday, clouds will accumulate due to strong-velocity W/NW winds, frequent snow showers will pass through. From tomorrow until Tuesday morning, 30-60cm of fresh snowfall is expected at high altitudes, winds will reach 70 km/hr and transport the fresh fallen snow. At 2000m: -6 degrees; at 3000m: -13 degrees.

Proneness of snowdrifts triggering will decrease slightly on Tuesday