Winter in sight

Snow is coming, expert warns of crevasse falls

Blankets warmed these Haflinger horses in St. Sigmund im Sellrain on Tuesday

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

Winter 2024/2025 is still holding back. Looking ahead to Sunday, however, there is hope in sight in Tyrol. The mountains should receive a decent amount of fresh snow - especially in the north-facing slopes.

A year ago, ski tourers flocked to the mountains, but this year they have had to make do with dry training or the odd snow-covered ski slope. Not even in the high regions is there enough snow for ski touring.

Crevasses are still open
"Ski touring in Tyrol is currently almost only possible on the pistes and in the glacier ski areas," says Sellrain touring and avalanche expert Lukas Ruetz. At the same time, he warns the overconfident not to leave the secured pistes on the glacier: "The crevasses are still open, the danger of a crevasse fall is too great."

The access roads to the Brenner highway were covered in snow on Tuesday.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Krone KREATIV)

Little will change for the time being. "The week will remain cloudy and wet with sunny spells, there won't even be much snow at altitude before the weekend," laments meteorologist Bence Szabados from the UBIMET weather service.

No sign of real winter so far
Tyrol was covered in snow here and there on Tuesday, but there wasn't much more than ten centimetres of white splendour in the valleys, as in St. Sigmund im Sellrain. The amount of fresh snow in the mountains was similarly modest - no sign of real winter.

The crevasses are still open, the danger of a crevasse collapse is too great.

Lukas Ruetz, Skitouren- und Lawinenexperte, St. Sigmund

Thursday without precipitation
According to Bence Szabados, Thursday should remain free of precipitation. On Friday, a few centimetres of fresh snow could be added to the mountains.

In the Obernberg valley, the meadows around the picturesque Obernberg church were white on Tuesday.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

However, the meteorologist is hopeful of snow for the weekend - even down into the Inn Valley to Innsbruck. "In the night to Sunday, the snow line will drop to low altitudes, it will be wintry," predicts the expert. However, the exact amounts cannot yet be predicted. Northern accumulations will be favored - from the Außerfern to the Karwendel to Lake Achensee. "Between 20 and 30 centimetres are possible above 1500 meters," says Szabados.

During the night to Sunday, the snow line will drop to low altitudes and it will be wintry.

Bence Szabados, Meteorologe Wetterdienst UBIMET

Similar to the winter of 2018/2019
"Last year, the majority of ski tours were already possible in November, but I don't think the current situation is unusual," says snow and avalanche expert Lukas Ruetz. He recalls the winter of 2018/2019: "Back then, we had no snow at all until mid-December, but from January onwards it was a top touring season with an exceptional amount of snow."

Avoid glaciers
For the time being, ski tourers will have to continue to bake smaller rolls. "And stay away from the glaciers at all costs," warns Ruetz.