Author: Jeffrey McCabe
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Changes in Avalanche.report
Amidst constant stable weather conditions, the avalanche situation changes only minimally. That is a good time to cast a glance at the changes in the Avalanche Bulletin which will take effect during the current 2024/25 season. What is easily the biggest, although least visible change since last winter is the change in the Avalanche Bulletin’s…
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Turbulent weather – fresh snowdrifts often prone to triggering
As a result of fresh snow and winds, new snowdrifts will accumulate by Saturday, 11.01. They will be deposited in gullies, bowls, behind protruberances in the landscape and can be triggered by one skier, especially on steep north and east-facing slopes. In addition, at mid and lower levels of the snowpack, especially south of the…
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Caution: easily triggered snowdrifts on shady slopes
A high-pressure front brought us fabulous wintery days last week through an inversion. Thus, it was colder in the valleys than in the mountains. Starting today, 02.01, weather conditions have changed. A cold front is bringing frequently strong winds, fresh snowdrift accumulations are now the major danger. They are easily triggered on steep shady slopes…
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Avalanche incident Rosskopf (26.12.2024)
On Thursday, 26.12.2024, two persons died in an avalanche incident on the Rosskopf in the eastern Tux Alps. The cause of the incident was a persistent weak layer together with the recently generated snowdrift accumulations deposited on top of it. Circumstances of the incident On 26.12.2024 two groups, independent of one another, were on the…
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Weak old snowpack layers remain prone to triggering. Fatal avalanche incident Rosskopf.
Observations from backcountry and incoming reports about slab avalanches triggered by persons confirm the snowpack’s current high trigger sensitivity regionally. Particularly south of the Inn, avalanches can be triggered in the old snow in some places and grow to dangerously large size. Avalanche prone locations are difficult to recognize. On the Rosskopf in the eastern…
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Treacherous avalanche situation over holidays
All signs currently point to the snowpack remaining prone to triggering over the holidays. In areas with the most snowfall, avalanches can be triggered especially in the masses of fresh snow and drifts. In inneralpine regions, fresh, often widespread drifts lie deposited atop marked persistent weak layers in the old snowpack. Avalanches can easily be…
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Fresh snow initially causing rise in avalanche danger. On 23.12, danger increasing significantly.
On Friday, 20.12 a cold front is bringing generally 15 to 30 cm of fresh snow. Starting on Sunday, 22.12, and until 25.12, three rounds of precipitation. In northern and northwestern regions of North Tirol, intensive snowfall. Caution: avalanche danger will increase significantly. Current situation Not much snow on the ground The snow depths in…
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Isolated danger zones in old snow – Fresh snowdrifts on weekend
There is currently not much snow in the mountains of Tirol. But there are weak, faceted layers inside the shallow snowpack regionally. In places where they are covered by a consolidated slab, they can be triggered by a person. Such avalanche prone locations are located mostly on very steep north and east-facing ridgeline slopes above…
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Rising avalanche danger due to fresh snow and wind – Start of daily Avalanche Bulletins
A warm front and on its heels a cold front are bringing precipitation to the mountains. Despite an irregular snow cover, avalanche danger in outlying terrain should not be underestimated. Tomorrow, 7 December 2024, we are launching the daily publication of Avalanche Bulletins. Turbulent weather & uncertain snowfall forecast for Sunday, 08.12.2024 Tomorrow, Friday, 06.12.2024,…
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Seasonal review 2023/24
Last winter (in bullet points) Snapshots of winter in chronological order Start: intensive precipitation Repeated rainfall up to the heights Warm period as of Xmas holidays Highly trigger-sensitive drifts in mid-January Near-surface persistent weak layer problem briefly on sunny slopes Firn snow in deep winter And yet, snowfall for East Tirol Graupel as relevant weak…