Heavy snowfall in Tyrol from Friday and subsequent fine weather on Sunday form a dangerous mix. A delicate situation awaits winter sports enthusiasts at weekends and beyond, outside the secured slopes. Increased caution is advised!
One meter of fresh snow in the mountains – Tyrol must prepare for a strong new start to winter in the first weekend of December. GeoSphere Austria (formerly ZAMG) will issue a weather warning from Friday. And Tyrol’s avalanche warning officers will probably have to report a high avalanche danger – i.e. level 4.
Snow on Friday evening up to the Inntal
“Friday will be wet, the snowfall limit in North Tyrol will initially be 800 meters,” predicts meteorologist Nikolas Zimmermann of the weather service UBIMET. As the day progresses, the rainfall increases and from the evening it snows as far as the Inn Valley. It will be winter everywhere on Saturday, with an emphasis on the lowlands.
“From Friday to Saturday evening I expect the largest amounts of snow in North Tyrol to be in the Zillertal mountains – around one meter of fresh snow will probably fall here,” says Zimmermann. But even in the higher valleys in the Ziller, Ötz and Stubaitals, 30 to 40 centimeters can be expected, on the main ridge west of the Brenner 50 centimeters, in Reutte more than 20 centimeters. In East Tyrol, one meter is also expected at very high altitudes.
Sun on Sunday, freezing night on Monday
“It will clear up quickly on Sunday, it will be a mainly sunny day. Then there was a cold night on Monday with minus 10 degrees in the Inntal. In cold hotspots such as the Defereggental, even minus 20 degrees is possible,” says the meteorologist.
First sunny day very difficult
The heavy rainfall in North and East Tyrol is a major concern for Tyrolean avalanche warnings. The nice weather on Sunday increased the worry lines even more. Statistically speaking, the first nice day after bad weather is particularly prone to accidents.
High avalanche danger – level 4
“We are already suffering from an old snow problem,” says Christoph Mitterer of the Tyrolean Avalanche Warning Service. “The new snowfall will significantly increase the risk of avalanches. If the weather forecasts are correct, we will probably have to indicate danger level 4, a high avalanche danger, for some regions during the weekend.”
The experts speak of a very delicate situation for winter sports enthusiasts. “On a nice Sunday, the risk of accidents will increase significantly,” warns Mitterer. “Unfortunately, a lot can happen in a short time.”
Source: Krone
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