Lower Tauern Central

Wet-snow problem, fresh drifts at high altitudes

In early morning and later on, rainfall on Wednesday, snowfall level at 1700 m. Heavy cloud cover will reduce visibility. At high altitudes, 5-15 cm of fresh snow, accompanied by N/NW winds (gusts up to 40 km/hr). As of midday, dry weather will reign, clouds will disperse. At 2000 m: 0 to +3 degrees; at 3000 m: -4 degrees. Following a night of clear skies, on Thursday it will be sunny. Winds will be moderate from W/NW. At 2000 m: 2 to 5 degrees; at 3000M -2 degrees.

Daytime cycle of naturally triggered avalanches: caution.

Wet-snow problem, fresh drifts at high altitudes

Avalanche danger is MODERATE. In steep terrain, esp.gullies, forest lanes, below 1800m in numerous spots naturally triggered or skier-induced wet loose-snow avalanches are possible. Also glide-snow avalanches are increasing. These can be medium, in isolated cases large-sized. At high altitudes there are danger zones from fresh snowdrift accumulations behind protruberances, in gullies increasingly frequent in NE to E to S aspects, where even minimum additional loading can release a small slab. Very few danger zones in shallow-snow transitions in shady steep terrain (persistent weak layer). There, by large additional loading, a slab could be triggered and reach medium size.

Rainfall last night will make the snowpack lose firmness at low and intermediate altitudes. On very steep grassy slopes the snowpack glides over the ground. At high altitudes the fresh snow is being deposited atop melt-freeze surfaces, on shady slopes atop wind-protected melt-freeze encrusted surfaces (persistent weak layer). These layers are currently unlikely to trigger.