Schladming Tauern South

Fresh, brittle snowdrifts!

Fresh, brittle snowdrifts!

Avalanche danger in the regions Dachstein, Totes Gebirge, northern Niedere Tauern as far as the Ennstal Alps is Considerable above the timberline. Avalanche prone locations are located in eastern and northern aspects. Older snowdrift accumulations and freshly generated drifts can be triggered even by minimum additional loading. A slab can fracture down to more deeply embedded layers in the snowpack.

Rising temperatures over the last 24 hours have generally had a positive effect on the snowpack, which was able to settle somewhat. At high altitudes in northern and eastern aspects, older snowdrift masses lie deposited on top of a soft layer of snow. On Friday night in the northern barrier cloud zones, surface hoar formed. The forecast fresh snow and snowdrifts will be deposited on top of the just formed surface hoar. Bonding will be inadequate. At intermediate and low altitudes the snow cover has settled. In some places a crust formed, which is not capable of bearing loads.

On Sunday it will turn wintery. Snowfall is expected over widespread areas, and a cold northerly wind will be blowing. In the northern barrier zones 20-30 cm of fresh snow is anticipated. Visibility will be severely reduced. Compared to Saturday, it will turn measurably colder, at 2000 m, -8 degrees.

The danger of slab avalanches will remain upright