Hochschwab Mountains

Moderate avalanche danger at high altitude. Shady slope persistent weak layer. Leeward slopes, fresh snowdrift patches.

Moderate avalanche danger at high altitude. Shady slope persistent weak layer. Leeward slopes, fresh snowdrift patches.

Above 1800 m, moderate avalanche danger. Danger zones are found on shady slopes in transitions from shallow to deep snow (persistent weak layer) and on east-facing slopes and behind protruberances, where small fresh snowdrift patches have been generated. On sunny slopes, naturally triggered avalanches can be expected on steep grass-covered slopes. Glide cracks (‘fishbones’) should be seen as alarm signals.

On sunny slopes the snowpack is blanketed by a melt-freeze crust, on shady slopes there is still soft snow. Particularly above 1800 m on shady slopes, weak layers in the old snow weaken the entire snowpack. Shallow snowdrift patches can be prone to triggering. On sunny slopes, glide cracks are appearing in the snowpack on steep grass-covered slopes: a danger signal.

A cold front is bringing lower temperatures to the northern barrier cloud regions of Niedere Tauern, a few centimetres of fresh snow and intensifying NW winds along with them. In the afternoon, visibility will be reduced. At 2000 m: temperatures will drop from -1 to 10 degrees during the day.

Saturday will be sunny, with outstanding visibility in the wake of the cold front. Avalanche danger is not expected to change.