Slab avalanches triggered by persons today, Thursday, 27.11.2025, demonstrate the current situation: very unstable. Caution urged particularly on very steep shady slopes above 2200m, where faceted weak layers in the old snow are prone to triggering. One single individual can release an avalanche in some places. In the regions of North Tirol with the most snow, the releases are mostly medium-sized, in isolated cases large-sized.
On Friday, 28.11 at 5:00 pm, the first Avalanche Bulletin of the season will be published.
Current situation demands restraint
Main problem: persistent weak layer
Since Monday evening, 24.11, there has been 20 to 40cm of snowfall registered in North Tirol and northern East Tirol. Particularly on west, north and east-facing slopes above 2200m, this fresh fallen snow lies deposited atop a shallow and often weakly metamorphosed base of old snow. Potential weak layers occur in the form of faceted crystals, frequently blanketed by a melt-freeze crust (from rainfall on 2 November). In isolated cases, there is also trigger-sensitive surface hoar (formed on 22-23.11) in protected bowls, now blanketed by fresh snow.
Slab avalanches can in some places be triggered in the weak layers of the old snow. Danger zones are difficult to recognize, particularly because the fresh fallen snow north of the Main Alpine Ridge fell with relatively little wind. Such avalanche prone locations tend to become more frequent with ascending altitude. Least favorable are very steep, wind-protected shady slopes, e.g. bowls, basins and zones at the foot of rock cliffs starting at about 2200m. Avalanches can grow to medium size. Especially in glaciated terrain above 2800m, avalanches can also fracture down to the ground and grow to large size.
Reports from slab avalanches triggered by persons today, 27.11, confirm the situation described above quite startlingly:
Snowdrifts accumulate on weak persistent layer south of Main Alpine Ridge
In East Tirol, distant from the Main Alpine Ridge, there was much less snowfall. The northerly foehn wind was strong, blowing ridges and crests free of snow. Freshly formed snowdrifts accumulated in gullies and bowls, and also atop a weak old snowpack surface, where they can be triggered as small-to-medium sized slab avalanches. Danger zones lie south of the Main Alpine Ridge. Due to the wind signs they can be spotted, should be avoided.
Southeast of the Daunscharte, below the eastern Daunkogel, this morning at about 9:15 am on a very steep north-facing slope at about 3100m, a large slab avalanche was triggered. As far as can be derived from photographs and first reports, the avalanche fracdtured near ground level in the snow fundament which formed at the beginning of October.
The avalanche caught 8 freeriders in its plummet path, spread to a piste below them where it spilled only shallowly over it, due to the constructed rock dam. All the persons struck were able to free themselves after the plummeting snow masses came to a halt. Several injured persons were flown to the hospital in Hall. A large-scale search team found no others and was called off in late afternoon.
Starting on Friday, 28.11 at 5:00 pm, the Euroregion Avalanche Bulletin will be published daily. In the mountains there is not much snow on the ground. Caution: rocks beneath the surface!
