2012-11-29T09:45:00+01:00 Patrick Nairz 2012-11-29+01:00 https://lawine.tirol.gv.at/data/fotos/gleitschneelawine_2.jpg The avalanche danger will diminish relatively rapidly. The next update on the avalanche situation will be published when there is a significant change in the avalanche situation. Fresh snow drift in high alpine regions along Main Alpine Ridge, gliding snow at low altitudes Mountain weather 29.11.12: Deep winter conditions are arriving in the mountains of North Tirol. Heavy fog and snowfall can be expected all day long. By tomorrow morning, between 10 and 25 cm of fresh fallen snow is anticipated, with the heaviest snowfall expected in the Arlberg and Ausserfern regions. On the southern flank of the Alps, very little additional snowfall. Temperature at 2000 m: minus 8 degrees; at 3000 m: minus 13 degrees. Moderate, in some places of the Northern Alps strong northwesterly winds. Weather in general 29.11.12: A low pressure system extending from Sardinia to the Baltic Sea is the major weather force. A cold front will bring a noticeable drop in temperatures, especially at high altitudes. Outlook for the next few days: Saturday will start out very cold, following a night of clear skies; during the day it will remain sunny, but below freezing. On Sunday, heavy cloud will move in and bring a small amount of snowfall down to low altitudes. Next week, a low pressure system will be the main influence, accompanied by wintery temperatures and occasional snowfall or freezing rain. Snowpack analysis in high alpine regions has shown that the old snow cover is quite well structured, all in all. On the one hand, there are faceted layers, but they are not prevalent or large. Thus, the major problem is currently the fresh snow drift. Slab avalanches are a potential danger more than anywhere else at the borderline between the freshly drifted snow masses and the loosely packed new fallen snow beneath it. In general, triggering these drifted masses becomes more likely with increasing altitude. In high alpine areas adjacent to ridge lines and on very steep slopes, caution towards freshly formed snow drift accumulations, especially in northwestern to northern to southern aspects, is urged for a short spell. This applies today, 29.11, particularly to the regions along the Main Alpine Ridge and in southern East Tirol. Tomorrow it will apply especially to the regions Silvretta-Samnaun, Arlberg-Ausserfern and the Northern Alps, due to the forecast snowfall of about 20 cm and, in some places, strong westerly winds. With some alpine experience in the evaluation of avalanche perils, these danger spots can be easily recognized. Further, caution is urged towards slides of fresh fallen snow on steep, grassy slopes in those regions with heavy snowfall in particular.