Weisseck, Muhr Valley

Fresh snowdrifts often easily triggered at high and high-alpine altitudes

Fresh snowdrifts often easily triggered at high and high-alpine altitudes

Avalanche danger above 2400m is CONSIDERABLE, between 1800 and 2400 MODERATE, below that altitude LOW. The fresh snowdrifts formed by fresh snow and strong northerly winds are triggerable particularly by large additional loading. Frequency of danger zones and depth of the drifts increase with ascending altitude. Most danger zones are in extended southern aspects in ridgeline terrain and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. At high and high alpine altitudes the releases can grow to dangerously large size. Naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches on extremely steep grassy slopes; and in sunny phases: loose-snow avalanches in rocky steep terrain.

At high altitudes on the Main Alpine Ridge there was half-a-metre of fresh snow accompanied by strong northerly winds. Fresh snow and snowdrifts are not always well bonded. The old snow is moist up to over 2000 m.

On Sunday, low lying and fog-like clouds will limit visibility, repeated snow and graupel showers, the NW winds will be strong. At 2000 m: -8 to -6 degrees; at 3000 m, -19 degrees. On Monday, mostly sunshine. Little wind. Significantly higher temperatures. At 2000 m: 0-3 degrees; at 3000 m, -2 degrees.

In the course of next week the snowdrift problem will recede, but naturally triggered avalanche activity will increase during the daytime due to solar radiation and daytime warming.