Outlook for Tyrol

Sun follows snowfall, beware of avalanches

The sun provides pleasant hours in the valley, while the risk of avalanches increases on the mountains.(Bild: Hubert Rauth)

After the snowfall on Tuesday morning, which covered Tyrol in a wintry white blanket, the sun is now coming out for the rest of the Christmas week. However, the risk of avalanches is considerable.

"There are currently snow-covered roads in almost all of North Tyrol," said the provincial traffic department shortly before 8 a.m. on Tuesday. Heavy snowfall caused dangerous situations in early morning traffic and made visibility difficult. Snow chains were compulsory in some places. Snow clearing services had been working since the night hours.

These images were not uncommon on Tuesday morning.(Bild: Land Tirol (Webcam))

However, the situation is set to ease from Christmas Day. Almost the whole of Tyrol is sunny on Wednesday. Only in some places is fog or high fog visible up to around 1300 meters. Otherwise, Tyrol will be cloudless. "In East Tyrol, only a moderate Tauern wind will be blowing," says GeoSphere Austria.

On sunny slopes at medium altitudes and on the mountains, it will be extremely mild for this time of year.

Geosphere Austria

The rest of the week will also be mostly sunny. On Thursday, it will remain warm on sunny slopes between 1000 and 1500 meters with temperatures of up to five degrees, while further up there will be lows of up to minus twelve degrees. On Friday, apart from the early morning fog in some valleys, only a few hazy clouds are likely to cloud the clear skies in the afternoon. "On sunny slopes at medium altitudes and in the mountains, it will be extremely mild for this time of year," says Geosphere Austria.

The weekend will also bring little change. It will remain sunny, with only a few harmless clouds. However, temperatures in the mountains will drop.

The large amount of fresh snow and the extensive accumulations of drifting snow are prone to disruption above the tree line.

Lawinenwarndienst Tirol

Beware of avalanches
While it is sunny and warm in places, the risk of avalanches is also increasing. According to the avalanche warning service of the province of Tyrol, this is at "danger level 3 - considerable". "The large amount of fresh snow and the extensive accumulations of drift snow are prone to disruption above the tree line", they say. Even individual winter sports enthusiasts can therefore trigger avalanches, some of which can be dangerously large.

The danger spots are sometimes difficult to recognize. Avalanches can occasionally tear through layers of the snow cover close to the ground. Numerous small and medium-sized loose snow avalanches are also to be expected on steep slopes exposed to the sun.