“Frau Holle” is raging again in Tyrol these days: Up to 50 centimeters of fresh snow at higher altitudes on weekends significantly increases the avalanche danger. Most accidents occur at level 3.
It is actually spring, when many winter sports enthusiasts do not have the subject of “avalanches” on their radar as intensively as they do in the middle of winter. However, avalanches depend solely on snow, weather and wind conditions. And they will be wintery in the coming days, especially at high altitudes,” says expert Patrick Nairz from the Tyrolean avalanche warning service.
Increased risk of snow plates
Avalanche danger increases to level 3 in many places, announcing “significant” defensive behavior, according to Nairz. In addition to the danger of snowflakes, it is important to watch out for loose snow avalanches on extremely steep terrain.
According to Michele Salmi of the weather service UBIMET, the precipitation peak had already been exceeded on Thursday, but there should still be a few centimeters of fresh snow by Sunday – especially from Saturday to Sunday from the Brenner Pass to the Kitzbüheler Alpen and the Hohe Tauern above 1000 m.
“The last ten days we had the best conditions of the entire winter,” says Thomas Fankhauser, landlord of the Franz-Senn-Hütte in Neustift. Many winter sports enthusiasts in large parts of the country have experienced this, so that they could now be pulled onto the terrain during the weekend despite the considerable avalanche danger. But Patrick Nairz warns: “Level 3 is where most accidents happen!”
Winter sports enthusiasts have a debt to collect
(Specialist) knowledge about avalanches is the best protection against accidents. “It is not enough to quickly look at the hazard levels in the situation report, as unfortunately many people do,” emphasizes Christian Eder, Alpine Training Manager of the Tyrolean Mountain Rescue Service. The avalanche warning service does an excellent job, all aspects of avalanches are excellently prepared. “Winter sports enthusiasts have a duty to collect and can gain the necessary knowledge on the website of the avalanche warning service.”
Don’t be cocky
Either way, he advises against getting “cocky” on the weekends. “Even if the amounts of fresh snow were not so dramatic by Thursday, there should still be a lot of snow.”
Source: Krone
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