2014-12-14T07:10:00+01:00 Patrick Nairz 2014-12-14+01:00 https://lawine.tirol.gv.at/data/fotos/wetter_wolkenaufloesung_4.jpg Fresh snowdrift will persist as the major hazard over coming days, requiring a high degree of caution. The next bulletin will be published on Friday, 19.12. Beware fresh snowdrift along Main Alpine Ridge and in East Tirol above 2600 m DP6 DP8 Alpine Weather Forecast (ZAMG-Weather Service Innsbruck) Weather in general on 14.12: A mild southwesterly airstream continues to determine the weather in the Alps. On Monday the foehn will come to an end in North Tirol. On Tuesday a cold front will follow on its heels; on Thursday, a warm front. Together they will bring precipitation and highly fluctuating snowfall levels. Mountain weather on 14.12: the foehn-induced mild temperatures and southwesterly winds persist. From the Main Alpine Ridge northwards, the foehn airstream will disperse the clouds intermittently, high altitude cloud cover will veil the sun most of the time, but conditions will nonetheless remain pleasant. In East Tirol’s mountains it will remain dry, but overcast. In South Tirol, heavily overcast. On the Main Alpine Ridge, a wall of cloud will form which will shroud the peaks and unload a few snowflakes. Temperature at 2000 m, plus 2 degrees; at 3000 m, minus 5 degrees. Moderate southwesterly winds; in the Tux Alps and on the Main Alpine Ridge, winds at strong to storm velocity. Snow Layering The decisive factor for snow transport and thus, for the component currently responsible for avalanche danger, is wind. Snow stability analysis, shooting cracks and avalanches actually released have made quite clear just how much higher the proneness to triggering has become in recent days through these freshly accumulated snowdrift masses. In the interim the snowpack has stabilised somewhat, but in high alpine regions remains prone to triggering. Slab avalanches can be released even by minimum additional loading, particularly in very steep ridgeline terrain above approximately 3000 m where about 10 days ago surface hoar formed. The old snow cover is stable for the most part. However, in those regions where there is but little snow, increased faceting has been observed in the last few days in the snow layer surrounding rain crusts. Avalanche Danger Potential avalanche danger requires special caution particularly in the regions along the Main Alpine Ridge and in East Tirol above approximately 2600 m, where in recent days storm-strength winds have in some places transported masses of snow and formed snowdrift accumulations on leeward slopes. These drifted masses can be easily triggered especially in shady, east facing terrain on very steep slopes above approximately 2600 m, and the proneness to triggering tends to increase with ascending altitude. Heightened attentiveness is called for in very steep ridgeline terrain as well as in gullies and bowls and behind terrain edges. For that reason, we continue to advise circumventing very steep, freshly loaded slopes at high altitudes whenever possible.