2022-02-12T17:00:00+00:00 avalanche-warnings.eu 2022-02-12T23:00:00+00:00 2022-02-13T23:00:00+00:00 1 old snow seldom triggerable, rims of gullies and bowls, mostly by large additional loading Very few avalanche prone locations. Persistent weak layer. Avalanche danger is LOW. Isolated danger zones exist in extremely steep gullies, on very steep slopes where the snow is shallow, particularly in extended northern aspects and on east-facing slopes. Potential trigger points lie in transitions from shallow to deeper snow and in rimline zones where the snow is shallow. Triggering is unlikely, needs large additional loading. Potential avalanches can grow to medium-to-large size. A settled and stable old snowpack dominates. Atop of it there is a thin layer of fresh snow, somewhat wind-impacted though without large snowdrift accumulations having been generated. Long-enduring soft layers of faceted crystals inside the snowpack are currently not a threat. Sunday will bring clear skies, outstanding mountain weather with but a few cirrus clouds in the morning. Winds will be light to moderate. Temperatures will rise. At 2000 m: -3 to 0 degrees. On Monday, excellent backcountry touring weather, sunny and clear. Winds from south-to-east will intensify slightly. At 2000m: 0 degrees. Initially no significant change is expected before the next round of snowfall arrives on Tuesday. 2022-02-12T17:00:00+00:00 avalanche-warnings.eu 2022-02-12T23:00:00+00:00 2022-02-13T23:00:00+00:00 2 1 old snow >1600m, isolated triggerable in transitions from shallow to deep snow, large additional loading drifting snow thin snowdrift patches where southerly wind was active, mostly near ridgelines, mostly small, risk of falling on steep slopes Caution on very steep, shallow-snow slopes. Keep your distances. Avalanche danger above 1600 m is MODERATE, below that altitude danger is LOW. Two moderate problems: persistent weak layer – this is the dominant theme of the moment, though hardly detectable from the snowpack surface. Potential weak layers inside the snowpack are likeliest in transitions into wind-loaded zones (often where snow is shallow). All in all the terrain has few spots where large additional loading (a fall, a group without distances, stomping) can trigger a slab avalanche. But if a slab triggers it can grow to large size. Second problem: snowdrift threat – the fresh drift are small and thin. On steep slopes they can trigger a small avalanche. In extremely steep terrain they can be triggered by a fall. The fresh snow from Friday (5-10 cm) was transported on Saturday in the Tauern and exposed zones of the Northern Alps. Small snowdrift masses were generated, currently not very prone to triggering. Beneath the fresh snow are compact layers which distribute the dynamic forces well. Inside the old snowpack, particularly on north-facing slopes, are faceted crystals which tend towards fracture propagation. Sunday will bring clear skies, outstanding mountain weather with but a few cirrus clouds in the morning. Winds will be light to moderate. Temperatures will rise. At 2000 m: -3 to 0 degrees. On Monday, excellent backcountry touring weather, sunny and clear. Winds from south-to-east will intensify slightly. At 2000m: 0 degrees. No significant change is expected until Tuesday. 2022-02-12T17:00:00+00:00 avalanche-warnings.eu 2022-02-12T23:00:00+00:00 2022-02-13T23:00:00+00:00 3 1 drifting snow wide-ranging drifts in foehn lanes, often easily triggered (thus, Level 3) old snow >2000 m isolated triggerable in transitions from shallow to deep snow, in shallow snow, large additional loading Foehn-induced snowdrifts - wide-ranging in foehn lanes Avalanche danger above 2000 m is CONSIDERABLE, below that altitude danger is LOW. Main problem: snowdrift threat – the fresh foehn-induced drifts are highly varied with differing effects from valley to valley. Some are small and thin, often wide-ranging on freshly loaded slopes. The impulse of one persons is enough to trigger an avalanche (small-to-large). Experience is imperative. Danger zones are easily recognized apart from driving snowfall. Second problem: persistent weak layer –hardly detectable from the snowpack surface. Potential weak layers inside the snowpack are likeliest in transitions into wind-loaded zones (often where snow is shallow). All in all the terrain has few spots where large additional loading (a fall, a group without distances, stomping) can trigger a slab avalanche. But if a slab triggers it can grow to large size. The fresh snow from Friday (5-10 cm) was transported on Saturday in the Tauern and exposed zones of the Northern Alps. Small snowdrift masses were generated, currently not very prone to triggering. Beneath the fresh snow are compact layers which distribute the dynamic forces well. Inside the old snowpack, particularly on north-facing slopes, are faceted crystals which tend towards fracture propagation. Sunday will bring clear skies, outstanding mountain weather with but a few cirrus clouds in the morning. Winds will be light to moderate. Temperatures will rise. At 2000 m: -3 to 0 degrees. On Monday, excellent backcountry touring weather, sunny and clear. Winds from south-to-east will intensify slightly. At 2000m: 0 degrees. Foehn-induced snowdrift accumulations remain the main threat. On Tuesday everything will change with fresh snowfall.