Fischbach Alps East, Wechsel

Caution: snowdrifts in ridgeline areas

Caution: snowdrifts in ridgeline areas

In the Fischbach and Mürztal Alps, the Wechsel region and the Graz mountains, low danger prevails; above the timberline danger is moderate. Isolated avalanche prone locations are found near ridgelines in all aspects. Particularly needful of attentiveness: snowdrifts behind protruberances in the landscape and laterally wind-loaded gullies and bowls. A slab avalanche can be triggered by large additional loading.

With the radically shifting winds combined with the most recent snowfall (bringing up to 30 cm), snowdrift accumulations have been deposited at high altitudes in all aspects. Weak layers in the form of surface hoar blanketed by fresh snow are not area-wide, occur especially in wind-protected terrain.

The Eastern Alps lie in the range of influence of a NW air current. From the Fischbacher Alps to the Graz mountains, a high-fog like cloud cover persists, above that skies are partly cloudy with intermittent sunshine. Above the treeline a strong-to-stormy NW wind is blowing in all mountain regions. Temperatures at midday will be -5 degrees at 1500 m, and -2 degrees at 1000 m. On Sunday night, a warm front will move in, bringing gloomy skies, the summits will disappear in fog. Particularly in the Fischbacher Alps, occasional minor precipitation is expected. Temperature will rise slightly, the snowfall level will rapidly ascend to over 1000 m during the course of the day.

As temperatures rise, the snowpack will slowly settle, danger of slab avalanches will diminish.