As snowfall intensifies, likelihood of slab avalanches above 1900m rising significantl, esp. on ridgeline W/N/E facing slopes where snow is heavy. triggerable by persons. Where snwofall is heaviest natural triggerings possible.. Danger zones difficult to recognize. Isolated whump noises are warning.
Snowpack
dp.1: deep persistent weak layer
Since Wednesday above 1600m: 10-15 cm of fresh snow, tonight anothern 15-30 cm is expected, locally more. Fresh snow and drifts lie deposited on W/N/E facing slopes above 1900m atop an unfavorable old snowpack. South-facing slopes and terrain below 1900m: atop a crust.
Avalanche danger above the treeline to moderate. Danger spots are located in very steep entries, gullies and behind ridgelines in the expositions north to east. There slab avalanches can be triggered by small additional loads.
Snowpack
In higher altitudes a fresh snowdrift cover accumulates north and east on top of a snow surface which is weakened by kinetic metamorphosis. This weak layer can be disturbed. Otherwise the new snow bonds very good with the old snow cover only in some places the bonded layers with different hardness can be prone to triggering. Weak layers within the snow base (kinetic metamorphosis) can hardly be triggered. Blow-off areas are often hard and icy.
Tendency
On Friday it will be predominately cloudy and the summits are foggy. Snowline will be around 900 m. No significant change of the avalanche danger.
Danger level
1900m
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
1900m
Avalanche danger rising
As snowfall intensifies, likelihood of slab avalanches above 1900m rising significantl, esp. on ridgeline W/N/E facing slopes where snow is heavy. triggerable by persons. Where snwofall is heaviest natural triggerings possible.. Danger zones difficult to recognize. Isolated whump noises are warning.
Snowpack
dp.1: deep persistent weak layer
Since Wednesday above 1600m: 10-15 cm of fresh snow, tonight anothern 15-30 cm is expected, locally more. Fresh snow and drifts lie deposited on W/N/E facing slopes above 1900m atop an unfavorable old snowpack. South-facing slopes and terrain below 1900m: atop a crust.
Tendency
Avalanche danger levels rising
Danger level
2200m
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
2200m
Wind slab
2000m
Caution: weak layers in old snowpack
As a result of snowfall, likelihood of slab avalanches triggering increasing, esp. in ridgline W/N/E facing slopes above 2200m. Avalanches can be triggered by persons and reach medium As snowfall intensifies, likelihood of slab avalanches above 1900m rising significantl, esp. on ridgeline W/N/E facing slopes where snow is heavy. triggerable by persons. Where snwofall is heaviest natural triggerings possible.. Danger zones difficult to recognize. Isolated whump noises are warning.. Caution urged in transitions from shallow to deeper snow in the regions where it is windy. Danger zones are difficult to recognize. Isolated whumpf noises can indicate imminent danger.
Snowpack
dp.1: deep persistent weak layer
Since Wednesday above 1600m: 10-15 cm of fresh snow, tonight anothern 15-30 cm is expected, locally more. Fresh snow and drifts lie deposited on W/N/E facing slopes above 1900m atop an unfavorable old snowpack. South-facing slopes and terrain below 1900m: atop a crust.
Tendency
Avalanche danger rising
Danger level
2000m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
2000m
Assess with caution freshly generated snowdrifts in steep terrain
Avalanche danger above 2000m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Small to medium-sized slab avalanches can be triggered by one sole skier. Danger zones occur esp. on shady, ridgeline steep slopes and in wind-loaded gulliex and bowls. Size and frequency tend to increase in frequency with ascending altitude and during the course of the day. Danger of mostly small-sized glide-snow avalanches on grass-covered slopes or rocky plates still prevails. Therefore, caution urged below glide cracks.
Snowpack
Amounts of fresh snow from the new cold front: 5-10cm, less then expected. Winds moderate to brisk from westerly to northwesterly directions, generating fresh, often trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations. Bonding to the old snowpack surface deteriorates with ascending altitude. The below-average snowpack depths are generally well consolidated. Snowpack surfaces are highly varied: high altitude shady slopes are often still powdery, elsewhere there are breakable crusts, sometimes wind crusts are capable of bearing loads. On sunny slopes, a melt-freeze crust forms. Due to dropping temperatures, gliding snow activity will gradually recede.
Avalanche danger above 2000m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Fresh snowdrift accumulations are being generated which can be triggered even by minimum additional loading, if there is sufficient snowfall medium-sized avalanches are possible. Danger zones will increase in frequency as the day progresses, occur esp. in very shady gullies and bowls distant from ridgelines on NW/N/E facing slopes. Avalanches in the old snow above 2200m are isolated, possible only in extremely steep terrain on north-facing sllopes. In isolated cases small to medium sized glide-snow avalanches are possible.
Snowpack
Shady slopes: on steep shady slopes above 2000m the fresh fallen snow will often be deposited on a metamorphosed surface. There, and inside the drifted masses, weak layers can be generated. On sunny slopes and at lower altitudes, the bonding of fresh fallen snow to the old snowpack is generally good, weak layers are found only inside the newly generated drifts. Weak layers in the lowermost part of the snowpack are no longer likely to trigger.
Tendency
Snowdrift accumulations remain prone to triggering
Danger level
2000m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
2000m
In particular at high altitudes limited-scope snowdrifts prone to triggering.
Avalanche danger above 2000m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Snowdrifts are the main problem which can be triggered as slab avalanches by minimum additional loading. Avalanches tend to be small, medium-sized releases are possible in areas with large quantities of new snow. Avalanche prone locations are found in steep N/E-facing ridgeline terrain as well as in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. Frequency and size increase with ascending altitude. On very steep slopes with sufficient snow over smooth ground small glide-snow avalanches are possible, primarily in the Allgäu.
Snowpack
5cm to 15cm of new fallen snow -- at high altitudes in the Berchtesgaden Alps in places up to about 20 cm - and wind have generated small-scale snowdrifts. In some places layers are embedded in the snowdrifts that are prone to triggering. On shady side slopes above 2000m the snowdrifts were in addition deposited atop faceted (expansively metamorphosed) crystals and are prone to triggering. Whereas at intermediate altitudes the snowdrifts have bonded well with the moist old snowpack surface. Here, the snowpack is moist down to deeply embedded layers and wet at the ground.
Tendency
Avalanche danger decreases slowly.
Danger level
Snowpack
Tendency
Danger level
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
Small area fresh snowdrifts
Avalanche danger is low. Small to medium-sized slab avalanches can be triggered by one sole skier. Danger zones occur esp. on shady, ridgeline steep slopes and in wind-loaded gulliex and bowls. Size and frequency tend to increase in frequency with ascending altitude and during the course of the day. Danger of mostly small-sized glide-snow avalanches on grass-covered slopes or rocky plates still prevails. Therefore, caution urged below glide cracks.
Snowpack
Amounts of fresh snow from the new cold front: 5-10cm, less then expected. Winds moderate to brisk from westerly to northwesterly directions, generating fresh, often trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations. Bonding to the old snowpack surface deteriorates with ascending altitude. The below-average snowpack depths are generally well consolidated. Snowpack surfaces are highly varied: high altitude shady slopes are often still powdery, elsewhere there are breakable crusts, sometimes wind crusts are capable of bearing loads. On sunny slopes, a melt-freeze crust forms. Due to dropping temperatures, gliding snow activity will gradually recede.
Tendency
Avalanche danger levels will recede
Danger level
2000m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
2000m
Conditions by and large favorable. There is little snow on the ground.
Avalanche danger is low. Small-scale snowdrifts can be triggered as small slab avalanches by minimum additional loading. The few avalanche prone locations are found in steep N/E-facing ridgeline terrain as well as in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. This applies in particular to high altitudes. On very steep slopes with sufficient snow over smooth ground small glide-snow avalanches cannot be excluded.
Snowpack
At intermediate altitudes some centimeters of new fallen snow and shallow snowdrifts were deposited either on bare ground or atop a moist old snowpack surface with which it has bonded well. With ascending altitude the bonding will become poorer, especially on shady side slopes above approx. 2000m. In places, the snowdrifts, too, can contain layers that are prone to triggering. However, the amounts of new fallen snow are small. At intermediate altitudes the old snowpack is thoroughly moist, and wet down to the ground.
Barely any change of avalanche danger anticipated.
Tendency
Danger level
treeline
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
Treeline
Snowpack
Tendency
Danger level
2000m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
2000m
Small danger zones due to freshly generated snowdrift accumulations
Avalanche danger is low. During the course of the day, fresh snowdrift accumulations will accumulate, these can be triggered even by one sole skier and release a small avalanche. Danger zones occur near ridgelines, esp. in steep shady terrain. Caution: danger of taking a fall.
Snowpack
On steep shady slopes above 2000m the fresh fallen snow will be deposited atop an expansively metamorphosed snowpack. There, and inside the snowdrift masses, weak layers can form. On sunny slopes and at lower altitudes the bonding of fresh snow to old snow is generally good, weak layers occur only inside the drifted masses. Weak layer in the lowermost part of the snowpack are no longer likely to trigger.
Tendency
Snowdrift accumulations will remain prone to triggering
Danger level
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
During the course of the day fresh danger spots in some places.
Low avalanche danger. Nevertheless fresh snowdrift deposits in some places in shady steep areas which can be triggered by small additional loads. Danger of falling is higher than the danger of being buried
Snowpack
Partially a thin snowdrift layer is forming in higher shady areas on top of a layer wich kinetic metamorphosed. This weak layer can be prone to triggering. Otherwise the new snow is sufficiently bonding with the old snow cover. The snow base is predominantly stable. Blow-off areas are often hard and icy.
Tendency
Wednesday night precipitation is called throughout whole Styria. In the morning of Thursday the precipitation is clearing up in direction east and Fischbacher Alps. Snowline is 1.000 m. The afternoon will stay dry in the east and partially sunny. In the Dachstein and Schladming region snowfall is possible. North to northwesterly moderate winds. Temperatures at noon are around -4degrees in 2.000 m.
Danger level
2000m
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
2000m
Avalanche danger rising
As a result of snowfall, likelihood of slab avalanches triggering increasing, esp. in ridgline NW/N/NE facing slopes above 2000m. Avalanches can be triggered by persons and reach medium size, esp. by large additional loading.
Snowpack
dp.1: deep persistent weak layer
5-10cm of fresh snow is anticipated, locally more. Fresh snow and freshly generated snowdrifts lie deposited on W/N/W facing slopes above 2200m atop a weak old snowpack surface. The old snowpack is expansively metamorphosed with a loosely-packed surface of surface hoar and faceted crystals. South-facing slopes below 2000m: fresh snow and drifts are being deposited atop a crust.
