Hochschwab Mountains

High avalanche danger at heightened altitudes

High avalanche danger at heightened altitudes

Large amounts of fresh fallen snow and storm winds are leading to massive snowdrift accumulations also in steep terrain distant from ridges which are easily triggered, in all aspects. Danger zones are numerous, extend down to wooded zones and will increase during the night. The possibility of naturally triggered releases will increase during the night and tomorrow, they can place exposed transportation routes at risk. Glide-snow avalanches can still release at any time of day in all aspects on very steep wooded or leafy slopes and on smooth rocky slopes. At low and intermediate altitudes the rain impact is leading to wet-snow slides on steep hillsides and forest slopes, depending on the fluctuating snowfall level.

In the barrier cloud regions, large amounts of fresh snow have been registered, more is expected during the night and tomorrow during the daytime, leading to deep snowdrift accumulations down to the timberline. Weak layers are forming inside the bonded snow (soft deposits). In addition, bonding to the encrusted snowpack with faceted crystals on the surface or near crusts is poor. Rain impact is destabilizing the snowpack and making it forfeit its firmness. The snowpack base is moist/wet up to intermediate altitudes, leading to a gliding snow problem.

As a consequence of the stormy NW air current, instable air masses haved moved over the northern flank of the Alps bringing heavy snowfall, with the focal point now moving eastwards. Major areas of heavy snow are in the Northern Alps (Totes Gebirge, Gesäuse, Hochschwab region) and northern Niedere Tauern. Between Friday evening and Saturday evening another 50-100 cm of fresh snow was registered. On the southern flank of the Alps, less fresh snow ha fallen, up to 30 cm is expected from Gurktal Alps to Gleinalm, depending on how much the snowfall extends over the Alps; 20-40 cm in the eastern rimline ranges. Snowfall level will fluctuate in the eastern part of the Northern Alps between 800 and 1200 m, higher in Niedere Tauern. Towards Turrach and Seetal Alps at 1000-1400 m. In the eastern regions, colder, thus snowfall comes down to lower altitudes. Less snowfall is expected along the Styrian rimline ranges. At 2000 m: -4 degrees in the north; on the southern flank of the Alps, -2 degrees.

On Saturday night the precipitation will taper off or come to an end. On Sunday only minor snow showers, dispersing clouds on the southern flank of the Alps. The zero-degree level will ascend noticeably, in afternoon in the north at 2000 m, sooner in the south. The snowdrift situation will gradually calm. Wet-snow and glide-snow problems will dominate.