Goldberg Group Central

Superficial avalanches in extremely steep terrain, small snowdrifts

Superficial avalanches in extremely steep terrain, small snowdrifts

Avalanche danger is generally LOW. Due to daytime warmth and rain impact, loose-snow avalanches isolated slab or glide-snow avalanches (small-to-medium) can trigger in extremely steep terrain. Snowdrifts occur mostly near ridgelines, usually shallow but triggerable in N/E aspects. Above 2400 m on shady slopes, isolated danger zones where large additional loading (a fall, stomping, etc.) can trigger a slab in the old snow which could grow to larger size.

The snowpack has a melt-freeze crust in early morning which later softens. On north-facing slopes and in high alpine regions there is still loose snow. The snowfall from Tues/Wed has settled also in high alpine regions due to daytime warming. The forecast precipitation will burden the snowpack only little. The old snowpack is compact, in isolated cases a weak layer has formed around the Sahara dust, currently not triggerable or only by large additional loading, e.g. by a superficial avalanche.

Skies Thursday night will be overcast, in the Lungau and on Main Tauern Ridge minor rainfall, snowfall above 1900 m. On Friday, lots of cloud, the high peaks could disappear in fog especially in the Tauern. From the south, light rainfall/snowfall will set in, snowfall level at 1800-2200 m. At 2000 m: 2-5 degrees; at 3000 m: -4 degrees. Moderate southerly winds. On Saturday in the Lungau and on Tauern Main Ridge overcast from the start. Further north, visibility is better. Southerly foehn will create sunny phases. In the Tauern region the foehn will be intense (40-60 km/hr in afternoon) but elsewhere no disturbance. At 2000 m: 1-4 degrees, at 3000 m: -3 degrees.

On the weekend, the wet-snow problem will dominate. In the Northern Alps still some reserves of cold on Saturday morning. In the Tauern at high alpine altitudes, fresh snowdrifts will be formed on north-facing slopes and in gullies.