High avalanche risk

Minus 29 degrees! It’s colder here than in Greenland

Temperatures in Austria are currently extreme – colder than in Greenland, where the capital Nuuk remains comparatively mild at minus 4 degrees Celsius.(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

On Monday night, Austria recorded its lowest winter temperature to date – and it is even far below the sub-zero temperatures on the island nation of Greenland. The thermometers at the Liebenau-Gugu station (Upper Austria) showed a frosty minus 29 degrees. But the icy temperatures are by no means the only danger in this country...

The town, located at only 845 meters above sea level, clearly leads the frosty ranking. In second place is Schwarzau im Freiwald in the district of Gmünd in Lower Austria with -28 degrees at 788 meters ( ). Zell am See in Salzburg follows somewhat behind with -21.6 degrees. It remained comparatively mild in Vienna: last night, -5.1 degrees was measured in the inner city – which corresponds to only 279th place in the ranking.

Cold spell followed by warm front
However, Austria will not have to shiver in the freezing cold for much longer: weather experts predict an early end to the cold spell. The low temperatures at the beginning of the week are likely to be a thing of the past for now. Warm air will move across the country from the west as early as Monday.

By the middle of the week, the thermometer will reach a significant plus: in many regions, it will climb to up to ten degrees with plenty of sunshine. In the east and in the Danube region, however, people will have to wait a little longer for blue skies. Persistent fog patches are clouding the view there, and temperatures will remain lower for the time being.

Temperatures in Austria are currently extreme – colder than in Greenland, where the capital Nuuk remains comparatively mild at minus 4 degrees.(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

The extreme cold is accompanied by an increasing risk of avalanches. In the alpine regions of western Tyrol and parts of Vorarlberg, weather experts are issuing renewed warnings and declaring the second-highest warning level. The Verwall Group, the eastern Silvretta, most of the Lechtal Alps, and parts of the Allgäu Alps are currently particularly risky.

The combination of heavy snowfall and rising temperatures makes the slopes particularly dangerous at present. Fresh snow and drifting snow are lying on top of a weak layer of old snow that is poorly bonded. Even stepping onto the slopes can cause the upper layers to slide and trigger an avalanche. Ski tourers should therefore watch out for rumbling noises and cracks in the snow cover – clear warning signs of a very unstable snowpack.

Below the Wetterkreuz summit on the Weerberg in Tyrol, a search was conducted on Sunday for a person buried in an avalanche. The woman was found but died in the hospital.(Bild: ZOOM Tirol)

Injuries and one fatality after avalanches
On Sunday, mountain rescuers in St. Anton am Arlberg werecalled out several times. On the Gampen, they searched for hours for buried victims away from secured slopes until the all-clear was given. In the end, only an 18-year-old was caught in the snow – according to the rescue services, only one arm was sticking out when the young man was found. He survived and was flown to the hospital by helicopter with injuries. Then, in the afternoon, the next accident occurred: a 58-year-old ski tourer was swept away by an avalanche. For her, any help came too late; she died shortly afterwards in the clinic.

Not far from St. Anton, on the Vorarlberg side in Zürs, two Germans aged 55 and 60 were caught in a snow slab and swept away about 70 meters across rocky terrain. The duo was lucky in their misfortune: both remained lying on the snow surface. They were taken to hospital by helicopter with injuries.

According to experts, the avalanche danger will remain critical in the coming days. In addition to western Tyrol, the regions of Samnaun, Kaunergrat, Weißkugelgruppe, Sellrain, Karwendel, and Tuxer Alpen are also classified as high-risk. Anyone who was already feeling the spring fever is likely to be disappointed: according to forecasts, another cold front could sweep across Austria next week.

Black ice and travel warnings
In addition to the cold and avalanche danger, the risk of black ice remains high in large parts of the country due to freezing rain – a yellow warning level is in effect here. The slippery conditions increase the risk of accidents and may cause local traffic disruptions. Road users should check that their vehicles are winter-ready and adjust their speed to the current conditions.

The ÖBB recommends avoiding non-essential travel "from Salzburg via Upper Austria to the eastern region" on Tuesday night. "Due to the expected massive ice formation on switches, vehicles, and overhead lines, restrictions in local, long-distance, and freight traffic are to be expected," the press office announced on Monday afternoon.