Hochschwab Mountains

Daytime increase in avalanche danger. Wet-snow problem.

Daytime increase in avalanche danger. Wet-snow problem.

Avalanche danger increases from low to moderate in the course of the day due to mild temperatures and solar radiation. Main danger: naturally triggered or skier-triggered (minimum additional loading) wet-snow avalanches on steep not-yet-discharged slopes. Also, the likelihood of glide-snow avalanches is increasing. Avoid zones below glide cracks. At higher altitudes in steep terrain, older snowdrift accumulations can be triggered as slab avalanches by large additional loading.

Due to nocturnal outgoing longwave radiation, the snowpack is able to regain some firmness during the nighttime hours. Due to very mild temperatures and solar radiation during the daytime, the melt-freeze crust softens quickly, especially on south-facing slopes. The snowpack is isotherm to over 2000 m and the destabilization progresses at varying speed, depending on altitude and aspect. The snowdrifts at high altitudes have settled well, are prone to triggering only in few places.

On Wednesday, frequent sunshine, a few high-altitude clouds in western regions of Upper Styria will pass through. Brisk SE winds, very mild. At 2000 m: +6 degrees; at 1500 m: +12 degrees. Winds are strongest in the NE regions. On Thursday, no change in weather conditions, but from Niedere Tauern to Totes Gebirge some intermediate-altitude clouds will become evident.

Springtime conditions, daytime danger cycle due to wet-snow problem and slopes becoming bare of snow.