Lower Tauern South

Caution in northern aspects in high alpine regions

Caution in northern aspects in high alpine regions

Main problem: trigger-sensitive intermediate layers at ground-level in the old snow. Isolated slab avalanches can be triggered on shady steep slopes be large additional loading, particularly where the snow is shallow, i.e. at entries to gullies and bowls, particularly in places where there is relatively shallow snow compared to the immediate vicinity, i.e. at entries to gullies and bowls. Triggered avalanches can be of small-to-medium size. The freshly generated snowdrift patches are easily triggered and create a major risk of forcing a fall.

Melt-freeze encrusted surfaces (hard as steel, icy, breakable, snowdrift patches, melt-freeze from the rain) dominate, recent mild temperatures and often storm-strength W/S winds have worsened snow quality. Inside the snowpack the recent layers are relatively well bonded. A potential trigger-sensitive layer of faceted and soft snow is at high altitudes. Current stability tests show that the tendency towards fracture propagation is minimal, at least over surface-wide areas.

On Sunday, visibiliity is generally adequate, although light conditions are rather diffuse due to cloudbanks passing through. Winds moderately strong from the south. At 2000 m: -1 degree: at 3000 m: -8 degrees. On Monday, the day will begin with sunshine. Later in the day, thin clouds far above the summits will pass through. Southerly foehn wind will be blowing at 30-50 km/hr. At 2000 m: -2 degrees; at 3000 m: -7 degrees.

The rising foehn wind will generate only small snowdrift accumulations, not changing the situation much.