Snow conditions 10. 4. 2025

General avalanche danger level - Thursday, 10. 4. 2025
The danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind slab, wet snow
Danger pattern: Spring situation

Risk assessment
The avalanche danger is in the morning and initially in the forenoon mostly LOW, level 1, but during the day in high mountain areas it increases due to solar radiation and is mostly MODERATE, level 2. After cooling, the snow has frozen and mostly stabilized, but now with thawing we expect typical spring conditions. Particularly in shady areas, you may encounter wind slabs that could release under heavy load on sufficiently steep slopes. Today, Thursday, small wind slabs are forming, which probably will not significantly affect avalanche danger. There is still a risk of gliding avalanches in many places, increased especially in the morning and initially in the forenoon. It persists during the day in shadier spots.

Snow conditions
Overnight, snow showers occurred intermittently, with up to 5 cm of snow falling. Now a strong northerly wind is blowing, mainly transporting snow around summits and ridges and building new small wind slabs. The snowpack is mostly hard or crusted, even in shady areas. Before cooling, wet snow avalanches released from steeper southern slopes, and the debris is now frozen.

Forecast weather development
Today, Thursday, it will be moderately to mostly cloudy, but clouds will mostly be above the summits. It will clear in the afternoon. A moderate wind will blow, possibly strong northerly to northwesterly in high mountains. Temperature at 1500 m around 4, at 2500 m around -5 °C. Tomorrow, Friday, mostly sunny. In the morning, there may be some remnants of low clouds in the Southern and Western Julian Alps. Weak to moderate northwesterly wind, temporarily strengthening in the afternoon. Noticeably warmer, temperature at 1500 m around 10 at midday, at 2500 m around 1 °C. Saturday also looks mostly sunny and warm during the day. Some cloudy veils in the morning. Weak to moderate westerly winds. Midday temperature at 1500 m around 9, at 2500 m around 1 °C. Sunday will become cloudy, with a strong southwesterly wind.

Trend in snow conditions
Snow conditions will remain typically spring-like until the end of the week. Overnight the snowpack will freeze, but during the day it will soften and become unstable due to daytime thawing. Avalanche danger will thus initially be LOW, level 1, but INCREASE during the day to MODERATE, level 2. Full-depth avalanches may also release.

Next issue: Friday, 11. 4. 2025

Source: ARSO