At high altitudes the Ybbstal Alps, in the Gippel-Göller and Rax-Schneeberg areas There was a significant risk of avalanches in Lower Austria on Sunday. High temperatures are making snow cover increasingly wet, which could result in wet snow avalanches, the avalanche warning service said.
Small avalanches of wet snow may occur, especially in forested areas, and may hit areas of exposed roads. The warning service explained that there is a risk of avalanches of wet, loose snow being released onto rocky terrain.
On steep slopes with grassy areas, leaf-covered ground, or smooth rocks, flat avalanche activity increases. Dangerous areas are also the extended exposures to the east, where there is still accumulated snow and where occasional medium-sized slab avalanches can be triggered.
It is expected to get hot over the next few days. The forecast is for up to ten degrees at 1,500 meters above sea level. The warning service said there was unlikely to be any change in avalanche danger.
A blessing in disguise for two Germans in Tyrol
There are two skiers in the area on Saturday afternoon Weißseejoch in the Tyrolean Kaunertal was dragged a few meters by an avalanche. Both had their avalanche airbags deploy in the free ski area and remained on the surface. A 37-year-old German man suffered a knee injury, police said.
He received first aid from the mountain rescue team and was taken to Zams Hospital in an emergency helicopter. The two were part of a four-member group of German citizens. She took the Weißseejochbahn up the mountain and then left the safe ski room in the direction of Krummgampental.
Winter sports enthusiasts had already skied the slope three times, it was said. After two group members mastered this for the fourth time, the snowboard finally left the third person. The fourth skier was still at the starting point when the avalanche occurred.