Photo courtesy of SkiInfo.com

SkiInfo.com reports that very heavy snowfall in Austria has led to more than 100 powder alarms being issued in recent days. On Tuesday, February 24 alone, more than 60 were issued, all for Austria, with many resorts, including the country's largest lift-linked ski area the Skiwelt, receiving more than 50cm (20 inches) in 24 hours over Monday/Tuesday.

The resulting heavy snow means that the avalanche situation is critical with the avalanche warning level at 5, the highest possible level, in the North Alps last week. Houses were evacuated and sections of important roads closed because of the avalanche risk. Some schools have closed and the Obersteiermark region has declared a state of emergency, the 750 inhabitants of Radmer were still marooned after 24 hours with the road to their village was cut off, several others have the same problem.

The Austrian military made their first helicopter flight to supply 500 people in the marooned ski resort of Planneralm near Schladming since the road into the ski resort was closed due to the avalanche danger.

A second ski resort, Hochfügen in the Zillertal is also currently marooned because roads are blocked, about 700 tourists are reported to be in the village. In Lower Austria more than 1000 members of the volunteer fire brigade have been shovelling snow off rooftops in half a dozen villages to prevent them from breaking under the heavy snow.

For skiers it's great news for off-piste powder once the avalanche risk lowers, and even on the pistes there's great snow, which now looks certain to last well beyond the scheduled end of the season.

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