Hochschwab Mountains

The combination of additional fresh snow + wind = snowdrift problem

The combination of additional fresh snow + wind = snowdrift problem

Moderate avalanche danger prevails, from snowdrifts. Avalanche prone locations are far-ranging, predominant on E/S facing slopes. Especially behind protruberances in the terrain and ridgelines, at entry points into gullies and bowls, slab avalanches can be triggered even by minimum additional loading (1 person). Also below the timberline, there are snowdrift accumulations. Poor visibility makes assessing the danger zones more difficult.

Atop a melt-freeze encrusted old snowpack fundament above 1500 m there has been heavy snowfall deposited since Friday. The current snow depths: from Dachstein over Totes Gebirge and in the Ennstal and Eisenerz Alps: up to 130 cm; in Niedere Tauern: 80 cm; in the Hochschwab region: 70 cm. Further south the depths decrease measurably: 10-30 cm. Inside the freshly generated snowdrifts (loose snow formed in wind pauses) are weak layers. Also on Tuesday, more snowdrifts can form due to variable wind conditions, but these will not be as thick. The settling process is slow to start with due to the unfavourable weather conditions.

On Tuesday, a perturbance will brush Upper Styria. The south lies at the edge of a weak Adriatic low. Along the Northern Alps and Niedere Tauern, low lying clouds will dominate, precipitation will spread from the west, the snowfall level descend gradually from 900 m down to low lying areas. Most of the fresh snowfall (appx. 20 cm) is expected between Dachstein and Totes Gebirge. Further to the east and south, much less snow is expected. Also from the Gurktal Alps as far as the Koralm, less precipitation to start with, the snowfall level will lie at 800m. Subsequently there may be some bright intervals. Winds will become increasingly stormy. Midday temperatures: at 2000m, -5, at 1500m -3 degrees. On Wednesday the weather will quiet down, high pressure zone influence expected, winds slackening off, temporarily colder. On Thursday the high will shift to southwesterly and temperatures will rise. On Friday an Adriatic low will gain in force.

Solar radiation on Wednesday will launch the settling process, the snowdrift problem will gradually recede.