Hochschwab Mountains

Beware snowdrifts on high-altitude north-facing slopes

Good Friday will be very sunny and mild, but quite windy. Only in the Gurktal Alps and Niedere Tauern will heavy clouds remain lodged. Strong SW winds will reach storm strength in late morning. At 2000 m: +3 and +6 degrees.

On Holy Saturday heavy clouds will persist around the Niedere Tauern, showers from them are possible. Elsewhere it will be sunny, winds will be stormy, esp. on the Main Alpine Ridge. Very mild. At 2000 m: +6 degrees. The wet snow problem is coming to the forefront.

Beware snowdrifts on high-altitude north-facing slopes

Avalanche danger above the treeline is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Due to strong southerly foehn winds, fresh snowdrift accumulations have been generated on north-facing slopes: attention required. Danger zones increase with ascending altitude, occur behind discontinuities and in gullies and bowls on W/N/E facing slopes, also distant from ridges, slabs can be triggered by 1 person and can be medium-sized. Danger of glide-snow avalanches rising in steep sunny grass-covered terrain at all altitudes. Avoid zones below glide cracks. On sunny slopes, isolated small-to-medium naturally triggered loose-snow avalanches possible in steep rocky terrain.

Due to storm-strength southerly foehn winds, further snowdrift accumulations have been deposited on leeward slopes. Weak layers exist (loose layers & faceted forms) in transitions to the snow base and drifts. Isolated more deeply embedded weak layers near crusts are evident on shady slopes in isolated cases. At intermediate altitudes the mild temperatures reinforce the moistening of the snowpack, making it more instable, it is beginning to glide over smooth ground. The slopes are becoming bare of snow.