The avalanche risk is moderate above the tree line and low below it. In places, wind slab can be triggered as a small or medium slab avalanche by a small additional load. Avalanche prone locations are located adjacent to the ridgeline, crest or summit in steep terrain in northern and eastern aspects as well as in gullies and bowls. The number and extent of avalanche prone locations increase with altitude. In addition to the risk of burial, the risk of being swept away and falling must be taken into account.
Snowpack
The wind slab snow of the last few days is partly prone to triggering on surface hoar or graupel, especially on the shady slopes. Snowdrift accumulations and obstacles are often covered by a thin layer of soft new fallen snow and are therefore difficult to recognise. Below the old melt-freeze crust, faceted crystals can often be found right down to the ground, especially at higher altitudes. The snow depths are below average.
Tendency
Slow decline in avalanche danger.
Danger level
2200m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
2200m
Persistent weak layer
2600m
Beware of prone to triggering snowdrift accumulations
The avalanche danger is moderate above 2200 m and low below. Above around 2200 m, snow slabs can be triggered in some places by slight additional load in the wind slab and occasionally become medium sized. Danger areas due to wind slabs increase with altitude and are located adjacent to the ridgeline, but also distant from ridgelines behind terrain edges and in gullies and bowls. In some cases, they are covered by a few centimetres of soft new fallen snow and are not clearly visible. In shady slopes at high altitudes, there are also isolated trigger points for small to medium-sized slab avalanches in persistent weak layers that are difficult to disturb.
Snowpack
The snow cover, snowpack is highly variable and below average. Fresh and older, brittle wind slab snow lies on a crusted can form surface. In some places, the wind slab is covered by a few centimetres of very soft new fallen snow. Weak layers are most likely to be found in the wind slab and at the transition to the melt-freeze crust. Below this are layers of faceted crystals and melt-freeze crusts. Due to the heavily built-up transformed snow cover, the fracture propagation potential is generally low. In isolated places, however, a prone-to-triggering combination of weak layer and snow slab cannot be ruled out, especially on the shady slope.
Tendency
It remains cold, the new and wind slab snow is slow to settle.
Danger level
2000m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
2000m
Snowdrift accumulations remain triggerable
Avalanche danger above 2000 is moderate, below that altitude, low. From place to place, slab avalanches can be triggered in the snowdrifts by minimum additional loading and, in isolated cases, grow to medium size. Danger zones are located mostly near ridgelines on shady W-N-E facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. The frequency and spread of the avalanche prone locations increase with ascending altitude. In addition, in high alpine regions avalanches can be triggered in isolated cases in the weak snow on very steep shady slopes. Apart from the risks of being buried in snow masses, the danger of being swept along and forced to take a fall in outlying terrain also require defensive conduct.
Snowpack
Strong-velocity winds have transported the fresh fallen snow from the last two days. The snowdrift accumulations were deposited primarily on shady slopes on top of an unfavorable old snowpack surface and are prone to triggering. In those places the old snowpack at high altitudes was often expansively metamorphosed and, therefore, weak. Elsewhere the old snowpack surface was generally melt-freeze encrusted, at lower altitudes often hard-frozen. Snow depths at all altitudes continue to be significantly below-average. Only limited information is currently available from backcountry to the Avalanche Warning Services.
Tendency
Avalanche danger will decrease only very gradually
Danger level
2000m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
2000m
Snowdrift accumulations remain triggerable
Avalanche danger above 2000 is moderate, below that altitude, low. From place to place, slab avalanches can be triggered in the snowdrifts by minimum additional loading and, in isolated cases, grow to medium size. Danger zones are located mostly near ridgelines on shady W-N-E facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. The frequency and spread of the avalanche prone locations increase with ascending altitude. Apart from the risks of being buried in snow masses, the danger of being swept along and forced to take a fall in outlying terrain also require defensive conduct.
Snowpack
Strong-velocity winds have transported the fresh fallen snow from the last two days. The snowdrift accumulations were deposited primarily on shady slopes on top of an unfavorable old snowpack surface and are prone to triggering. In those places the old snowpack at high altitudes was often expansively metamorphosed and, therefore, weak. Elsewhere the old snowpack surface was generally melt-freeze encrusted, at lower altitudes often hard-frozen. Snow depths at all altitudes continue to be significantly below-average. Only limited information is currently available from backcountry to the Avalanche Warning Services.
Tendency
Avalanche danger will decrease only very gradually
Danger level
2200m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
2200m
Wind slabs and stones are the main danger.
The avalanche danger is low. Above 2200 m, small snow slabs in the wind slab can still be triggered in a few places by a small additional load. Be careful in the area of terrain traps, where enough snow could accumulate to bury people. Drift snow packs are most likely to accumulate behind terrain edges adjacent to the ridgeline and in gullies and bowls. They are sometimes covered by a little soft new fallen snow and are therefore not always easily recognisable. Beware of stones under the thin snow cover, snowpack.
Snowpack
The snow cover, snowpack is highly variable. Fresh and older wind slab snow lies adjacent to the ridgeline on a crusted can form surface. In some places, the wind slab is covered by a few centimetres of very soft new fallen snow. Weak layers are most likely to be found in the wind slab and at the transition to the melt-freeze crust. Below this are layers of faceted crystals and melt-freeze crusts. However, due to the heavily built-up transformed snow cover, the potential for fracture propagation is generally low. On the sunny slopes, the snow cover, snowpack is hard and crusted can form, or the subsoil is only thinly covered. The snow depth is still well below average at all altitudes.
Tendency
It remains cold, the new and wind slab snow is slow to settle.
Danger level
2000m
Avalanche Problem
Persistent weak layer
2000m
Wind slab
Treeline
The danger of Avalanche is low.
The snowpack is mostly stable. In some places in the High alpine regions, especially on fresh snowdrift accumulations of blown snow, a small, clustered avalanche can be triggered under higher loads.
Snowpack
dp.4: cold following warm / warm following cold
There is little snow, and the peaks and ridges are in some places blown bare. In the high alpine regions, weak layers may be present in the old snow cover.
On prominent Sunny slopes, the snow has been frozen off and then frozen over, forming a drift.
Tendency
Tuesday and Wednesday will be cloudy and foggy, but mostly dry. A strong easterly wind will blow. It will remain cold.
Danger level
Low avalanche danger, watch out for small snowdrift accumulations
The avalanche risk is low, isolated danger areas due to older snowdrift accumulations are located behind edges of the terrain adjacent to the ridgeline and in gullies and bowls that have been blown in. The drift snow packs are usually easily recognisable, but danger areas due to stones under the thin snow cover, snowpack are often not.
Snowpack
There is a below-average amount of snow and the snow cover, snowpack is highly variable. In shady slopes at high altitudes, there are isolated weak layers of faceted crystals in the snow cover, mostly in the vicinity of crusts. Away from this, there is a succession of thin layers of drifting snow on the meadows.
Tendency
No change in avalanche danger.
Danger level
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
Avoid wind slabs in the steep terrain at high altitudes!
The avalanche risk is predominantly low. The snowdrift accumulations that have formed in the last few days at high altitudes should be noted. There are avalanche prone locations in steep terrain in areas adjacent to the ridgeline, as well as in filled-in bowls and gullies. In most cases, only small slab avalanches could be triggered in a few places in the terrain by a small additional load. Avalanche prone locations are easy to recognise and should be avoided.
Snowpack
In general, the snow cover, snowpack is characterised by the strong to stormy winds and repeated snowfall of the last few days. In the higher elevations, there are snowdrift accumulations that can contain thin intermediate layers and they often lie on angular forms or on a hardness of old snowpack. The thin snow base, fundament is weakened by the kinetic metamorphism. The snow depths are very below average even at high altitudes.
Tendency
No significant change in the snow and avalanche situation.
Danger level
2000m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
2000m
Watch out for isolated snowdrift accumulations!
The avalanche danger is categorised as low. In the last few days, snowdrift accumulations have formed above around 2000 metres. In a few places, these can be triggered by individuals as small slab avalanches. Avalanche prone locations due to wind slabs are located in particular behind broad ridges and ridgelines with a northerly or easterly aspect as well as in gullies and bowls. The avalanche prone locations are easily recognisable. The number of avalanche prone locations decreases from north to south. Most snowdrift accumulations are found in the Dachstein area and in the Totes Gebirge. There is considerably less snow from the Niedere Tauern and the Hochschwab area to the Pack.
Snowpack
In the last few days, prone-to-triggering snowdrift accumulations have formed between the Dachstein and the Totes Gebirge due to the stormy westerly winds. These often lie on angular forms or a hard old snowpack.
In the other mountain groups, the snow surface is hard or icy on the sunny slopes. In the shady slopes, the kinetic metamorphism weakens the snow layering. However, the potential for break propagation is very low.
The snow depth is well below average in all altitudes and mountain groups.
Tendency
There will be no significant change in the snow and avalanche situation in the coming days. It will remain cold on Tuesday and Wednesday with mostly light to moderate winds. The wind will pick up on Thursday and a warm front will lead to a significant rise in temperatures in the night to Friday.
Danger level
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
Risk of snagging and falling due to small snowdrift accumulations.
The avalanche risk is low. Small snowdrift accumulations in steep, blown-in areas can be triggered in some places by a small additional load as a small snow slab.
Snowpack
Low-grade snowdrift accumulations are sometimes prone to disturbance, especially on the shady slopes. At higher and higher elevations, there are often faceted crystals down to the ground below a melt-freeze crust close to the surface. There are usually only a few centimetres of snow on the sunny slopes.
