Totes Gebirge South

Moderate avalanche danger due to freshly-generated snowdrift accumulations at high altitudes and wet-snow slides in extremely steep terrain

Moderate avalanche danger due to freshly-generated snowdrift accumulations at high altitudes and wet-snow slides in extremely steep terrain

Avalanche danger is largely MODERATE above 2000 m, LOW below that altitude. At high altitudes the avalanche prone locations are located on north-to-east-to-southwest facing slopes, due to freshly generated snowdrift accumulations. The drifted masses lie near to ridgelines, in steep gullies and bowls and behind abrupt discontinuties in the terrain and can, by additional loading, be triggered. Outside of that on some shady slopes in a few places, weak layer in the old snowpack can be triggered by large additional loading. On extremely steep slopes the rainfall and warmth of recent days can cause isolated small wet slides and loose-snow avalanches.

The snowpack fundament is stable, by and large, only on shady slopes is the persistent weak layer still a threat (older snowdrifts atop faceted fundament). As a result of rainfall and warmth the snowpack is thoroughly wet up to high altitudes, thus forfeiting its firmness.

On Friday, gray skies, particularly in the Dachstein and Ennstal Alps the summits will be wreathed in clouds all day long, intermittently there will be snowfall and rainfall. Snowfall level will hover around 2000 m. South of the Main Alpine Ridge, particularly in the morning, sunshine intermittently, but clouds will move in later on, precipitation will hardly reach beyon the Mur-Mürz rift. Winds will be brisk from the west at ridgeline and summit levels. At 2000 m: +1 degree at midday. On Saturday in Styria, once again heavy clouds. Particularly in the Schladminger Tauern to the Gesäuse, repeated rainfall is possible, snowfall down to 1400 m. Starting at midday, the clouds will disperse from the northeast, high-altitude winds will be brisk, strong from west to northwest. At 2000 m: -2 degrees at midday.

Hardly any change in avalanche danger levels. The snowfall level will descend somewhat, the precipitation will slacken off.