Lower Tauern North

Circumvent fresh snowdrifts

Circumvent fresh snowdrifts

Avalanche danger is moderate. The fresh snowdrifts can trigger a small to medium-sized slab avalanche even by minimum additional loading in some places. Size and frequency of the avalanche prone locations tend to increase rapidly with ascending altitude above the treeline. Avalanches triggered near to the surface can fracture down to more deeply embedded layers inside the old snowpack above 2200m. Danger zones occur particularly on N/E facing slopes, above 2400m also on S/W facing slopes. Caution urged in transitions from shallow to deep snow. Especially below 2400m, naturally triggered small-to-medium glide-snow avalanches are possible. Circumvent zones below glide cracks.

There was 5-15 cm of fresh snow and drifts deposited on shady slopes atop a loose, expansively metamorphosed snow base which can serve as a fracture surface. On sunny slopes, the bonding to the often encrusted old snowpack surface is somewhat more favorable. Intermittently strong-velocity W/NW winds have compacted and transported the snow in exposed terrain. Above about 2200m inside the old snowpack there are weak layer of faceted crystals, often consisting of surface hoar, which are frequently prone to triggering. The entire snowpack can glide away over steep rocky plates or grass-covered slopes.

Skies on Friday night will clear, winds will ease off. Saturday will start with sunshine, but high-altitude clouds will move in during the morning hours, light conditions will become diffuse, winds will be light to moderate, the shift at high altitudes to westerly-to-southwesterly. At 2000m: rising from -11 to -5 degrees; at 3000m: from -16 to -10 degrees.

Little change anticipated