Snow conditions 10.4.2020

Danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.

Main problem: wet snow, favorable conditions

Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after frost



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger above approx. 1800 m elevation is MODERATE, level 2, lower down LOW, level 1. With daytime warming on sun-exposed slopes, wet snow slab avalanche danger increases. Slab avalanches can be triggered by heavy loading of the snowpack on steeper slopes with wind slabs still present in high mountains. Especially in the morning and early afternoon, there is slip hazard on frozen and icy snowpack. Lower down, due to small snow amounts, danger is low.



Snow conditions

In clear weather and due to warm air mass, the snowpack thins during the day especially on sun-exposed slopes and refreezes at night. Dominant process is melt-freeze. In mid-mountains, snowpack melts faster. In high mountains, there are still areas with windpacked snow, but crust forms on sunny slopes there too. Wind- and sun-exposed terrain is at least hard and partly icy in the morning and early afternoon.



Forecast weather development

Today, tomorrow, and Sunday morning mostly clear, afternoon moderately cloudy. Freezing level at the height of highest summits or higher. Mostly light southwesterly wind. On Sunday wind strengthens somewhat, on Monday moderate southwesterly. More cumulus cloudiness, some clouds accumulating on ridges of western and southern Julian Alps. Tuesday cloudy with occasional precipitation. Cooling, winds from northern directions.



Trend in snow conditions

Until Monday conditions similar. In spring situation, avalanche danger low in morning and early afternoon, later increases especially on sun-exposed slopes. Morning and early forenoon mainly slip hazard in high mountains. Differences between sun-exposed and shaded terrain increase, snowpack diminishes on sun-exposed. On Sunday-to-Monday night due to stronger wind, snowpack very likely will not refreeze except in frost hollows and sheltered high-mountain terrain. On Tuesday snowpack refreezes, but too little new snow for increased avalanche danger. Snowpack mostly stable.



Next issue: Tuesday, 14. 4. 2020



Source: ARSO