2022-02-01T17:00:00+00:00 avalanche-warnings.eu 2022-02-01T23:00:00+00:00 2022-02-02T23:00:00+00:00 4 drifting snow atop unfavorable snowbase, wide-ranging snowdrift accumulations new snow heavy snowfall 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. 2022-02-01T17:00:00+00:00 avalanche-warnings.eu 2022-02-01T23:00:00+00:00 2022-02-02T23:00:00+00:00 1 drifting snow near ridges Low avalanche danger, heed small snowdrift patches behind protruberances and in bowls Due to the strength of the storm, small snowdrift patches can be generated. Most of the transported snow is being deposited in very wind-protected zones, in bowls or behind protruberances, these can generally trigger only by large additional loading. A few centimetres of fresh snow atop a hardened old snowpack surface. At lower altitudes the snow is soft. In the southern mountains, only a few showers, the clouds will continue to disperse. Stormy NW winds will be blowing, reaching gale strength in exposed terrain. At 2000 m: -7 degrees, winds blowing at 60-120 km/hr. No significant change is expected. 2022-02-01T17:00:00+00:00 avalanche-warnings.eu 2022-02-01T23:00:00+00:00 2022-02-02T23:00:00+00:00 3 1 drifting snow forest lanes, behind protruberances Fresh snow. Storm wind. Avalanche danger above the treeline is considerable. Danger zones occur in E/S aspects where slabs can be triggered even by minimum additional loading, special caution is urged at entries into gullies and bowls and drifts behind knolls. The fresh drifts cover surface hoar or a hardened snowpack surface. The fundament is compact and faceted only in zones where the snow is shallow. Also further to the south, snow showers can be expected, bringing up to 20 cm of fresh snow to Turrach and Seetal Alps. It will remain cold. At 2000 m: -10 degrees. The NW winds will reach remain stormy. No change in danger levels is expected. 2022-02-01T17:00:00+00:00 avalanche-warnings.eu 2022-02-01T23:00:00+00:00 2022-02-02T23:00:00+00:00 2 1 drifting snow behind protruberances Some new snow. Storm winds. Avalanche danger above the treeline is moderate. Danger zones lie in E/S aspects, where a slab can be triggered even by minimum additional loading, but only reach size 2. Caution urged near ridgelines, where slab avalanches can trigger with ease. Fresh snowdrifts cover surface hoar or a hardened old snowpack surface. In some places the slopes are icy. In the southern mountains, only a few showers, the clouds will continue to disperse. Stormy NW winds will be blowing, reaching gale strength in exposed terrain. At 2000 m: -7 degrees, winds blowing at 60-120 km/hr. No significant change is expected. 2022-02-01T17:00:00+00:00 avalanche-warnings.eu 2022-02-01T23:00:00+00:00 2022-02-02T23:00:00+00:00 4 3 drifting snow very easily triggered new snow instable fresh snow Storm. Very unfavorable backcountry touring conditions. Avalanche danger above the treeline in parts of the Niedere Tauern is high. Storm winds are transporting huge amounts of fresh snow. Also in forest lanes and clearances, drifts are being deposited. Naturally triggered loose-snow and slab avalanches can release at any time. Backcountry tourers can trigger a slab avalanche with the weight of one person. In the last 24 hours there has been 20-40 cm of fresh snow registered, particularly on east-facing slopes. Potential weak layers are the soft layers inside the snowpack, and the faceted crystals in the old snow beneath a melt-freeze crust. The crust can be fracture through if an avalanche is triggered. 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 30-50 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.