2017-01-04T12:30:00+01:00 Patrick Nairz 2017-01-04+01:00 https://lawine.tirol.gv.at/data/fotos/wind_17.jpg https://lawine.tirol.gv.at/rest/bulletin/2017-01-04_123000/pdf/en Ongoingly unfavourable situation for skiers and freeriders, particularly in steep, shady terrain above 2000m. As of tomorrow, 5 January, the publishing of daily avalanche bulletins will commence. Rising avalanche danger due to snowfall and storm winds DP1 DP6 Alpine Weather Forecast (ZAMG-Weather Service Innsbruck) Weather in general: The Alps are being struck by a storm low whose center lies over the Baltic Sea. A cold front connected with this air current will bring wintery conditions to North Tirol today. From the north, snowfall will spread increasingly in North Tirol today, including South and East Tirol later on, intensifying into the evening. Tonight, deep winter conditions will settle over the land, including heavy snowfall down to low lying areas in North Tirol. By tomorrow morning, 30-70 cm of fresh fallen snow is expected in the mountains. In East Tirol and South Tirol it will snow down to low lying areas tonight, particularly in the northern parts, even if less heavily. Temperatures: -8 to -4 degrees. In southern regions and in the valleys, storm winds. Snow Layering The snow depths are far below average for this juncture of the season, the snowpack is still low in tension. A cohesive, area-wide snow cover can be found on sunny slopes above about 2300-2600m, on shady slopes above 2000-2200m. Inside the snowpack are several weak layers of loose snow crystals, wedged between hardened crusts. With the snowfall, the necessary "slab" will be placed on top of these weak layers. Based on stability analysis, a heightened likelihood of triggering will then prevail. Fresh snowdrifts can also become a problem when they are deposited on ground which until then had been bare. The weak layers there are the loose new fallen snow or the forecast graupel. At high altitudes, the old snowpack is far less easy to trigger because of the heavy wind crusts. Avalanche Danger Snowfall, storm-strength winds and cold temperatures will cause avalanche danger to rise significantly this evening at latest. We will then be confronted with an old snow problem and also with a snowdrift problem. The old snow problem occurs particularly in steep, shady terrain above about 2000 m, where due to current snow structuring, fresh drifts can easily be triggered by skiers and freeriders. As the snowfall intensifies, which is forecast for the evening hours today, we expect on shady slopes small, naturally triggered avalanches to release. The old snow problem occurs more on north-facing slopes, but above 2400m is evident on west, east-facing slopes as well. In addition, above the treeline behind terrain edges, a snowdrift problem is taking shape in all aspects, but especially on E/S/W facing slopes.