Glockner Group Pasterze

Beware wet-snow and snowdrifts in high-alpine terrain

Beware wet-snow and snowdrifts in high-alpine terrain

Naturally triggered wet-snow avalanches will increase with the daytime danger cycle. Wet-snow avalanches can be triggered by winter sports enthusiasts and grow to medium size. These avalanche prone locations are located particularly on very steep slopes below 2800m. Fresh snowdrift accumulations can be triggered by one sole skier on very steep shady slopes above 2800m. Such danger zones occur esp. in ridgeline terrain, in gullies and in bowls. In high-alpine zones, small-to-medium moist loose-snow avalanches can be expected, esp. on extremely steep sunny slopes.

Weather conditions below 2800m are leading to the snowpack becoming thoroughly wet. Many wet-snow avalanches have already released, many starting zones have completely discharged, the snowpack is thoroughly wet. Nocturnal outgoing longwave radiation hardly exists. The snowpack surface can barely freeze and softens rapidly. High-alpine zones: up to 20cm of fresh snowfall registered, locally more. Due to fresh fallen snow and often strong southerly winds, small new snowdrift accumulations will be generated. On steep sunny slopes below 1900m there is hardly any snow on the ground.

On Sunday far-reaching sunny weather and good visibility. In the afternoon hours, some convective cloud build-up, limiting visibility somewhat but it will remain dry. Winds moderate to strong at 20-40 km/hr from the southwest.. At 3000m: 0 degrees; at 2000m: +6 to +9 degrees; at 1000m: +17 degrees. Source: GeoSource Austria

No significant change expected