The variable weather conditions, rather cool and moist for this juncture of the season, persist.
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| Weather review: highly variable! |
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| A comparative review: the winter’s greatest snow depths are frequently being measured in high alpine regions currently. |
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| Impressive amounts of fresh snow in the mountains |
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| Conditions as in deep winter at Regensburger Refuge (photo: 12.05.2019) |
As reported in the last blog, fresh snow is swiftly weakened when the weather improves. This is due to radiation energy, which is far greater than in deep winter. We are currently observing numerous avalanches in the mountains for that reason. These are generally loose-snow, in isolated cases glide-snow avalanches.
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| Loose-snow avalanches in the Northern Massif (photo: 17.05.2019) |
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| Glide-snow avalanche in the Northern Massif (photo: 11.05.2019) |
As regards slab avalanches, the explanation in the last blog still holds true. We assume that weak layers exist at high altitude which can be triggered due to danger pattern 4 (cold on warm). However, due to a lack of current snowpack analysis in the areas where slab avalanches are likeliest, based on dp 4, there are no further details to be reported.
In addition. following fresh snow one needs to focus attention on other potential weak layers: loosely-bonded fresh snow covered by snowdrifts; graupel; surface hoar in shady terrain adjacent to ridgelines (Nigg-Effect).
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| Frequent at this juncture of the season: graupel. Here in Defereggental. Graupel can form a weak layer whenever it covers a centimetres-deep layer. Central East Tirol (photo: 15.05.2019) |
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| En route near the Franz-Senn Refuge. Just like in deepest winter! |
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| It will be awhile before the high-alpine pasture roads are free of snow... Tux Alps (photo: 02.05.2019) |
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| Warned often this year: do not underestimate the danger of cornices! Silvretta (photo 01.05.2019) |
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| Clearly displeased at the still snow-covered meadows: marmottes (in foreground). Silvretta (photo: 01.05.2019) |
