Hochschwab Mountains

Fresh snow and drifts. Storm. Very unfavorable backcountry touring conditions.

Fresh snow and drifts. Storm. Very unfavorable backcountry touring conditions.

Avalanche danger in the Northern Alps is high. New snow and drifts have raised the danger palpably. Storm winds continue to deposit drifts in all aspects, also in forest lanes and clearances. During the nighttime hours on Tuesday night as well as during the daytime on Wednesday, naturally triggered loose-snow and slab avalanches can be expected on steep rough and rocky slopes. Large and even very large naturally triggered avalanches can reach exposed transportion routes. Backcountry tourers can trigger a slab even by the weight of one person. At lower altitudes, also wet naturally triggered avalanches down to exposed transportation routes are likely.

In the last 24 hours there has been 50-70 cm of fresh snow registered in the northern barrier cloud regions. On Tuesday there were naturally triggered releases. Artificial triggerings with explosives demonstrated how instable the snowpack is. Stormy winds are transporting huge masses of snow, particularly on east-facing slopes. Potential weak layers are the soft layers in the snowpack. In the old snow are faceted crystals beneath a melt-freeze crust which weaken the structure of the snowpack. If an avalanche triggers, the crust can be fractured through.

A pronounced warm front will have Styria in its grip by evening, bringing widespread snowfall, after midnight at low altitudes also sleet, rain or frozen rain. In the Northern Alps above 600-800 m great masses of fresh snow are anticipated. On Wednesday in the Northern Alps and along the Main Tauern Ridge, intensive snowfall will continue. In zones below 500-800 m there will be intermittent rain or sleet. In 24 hours an additional 40-60 cm of fresh snow is expected. Stormy NW winds will continue to rage, in exposed zones reaching gale strength. At 2000 m: winds will be 60-120 km/hr, temperature -7 degrees.

Slowly, weather conditions will improve. In the morning, still some snow showers north of the Main Alpine RIdge in particular, in the afternoon it will be mostly dry and clouds will disperse somewhat. Temperatures will rapidly rise. The high avalanche danger will persist. Wet naturally triggered avalanches will become more frequent.