Snow conditions 11.11.2016

General danger level - Friday, 11. 11. 2016

Danger is level 2 on the European 5-level scale - MODERATE.

Main problem: fresh snow, winddrifted snow

Danger pattern: wn1 Early winter, ground freeze



Risk assessment

Currently conditions in the mountains are gradually deteriorating due to snowfall. Danger is MODERATE, level 2, in high mountains above around 2000 m. Dangerous are steep slopes, mainly grassy or scree slopes. There under greater load on the snow cover you can trigger loose snow avalanche. Lower down the risk is currently still LOW.



Snow conditions

The snowpack is soft. Significant snow cover reaches in the north to around 1000 m a.s.l., elsewhere much higher. Previously it snowed onto bare ground, so snow has mostly well bonded to the ground, except on grassy slopes.



Forecast weather development

Today it will snow, the snow level will descend in the evening. First it will drop to lowlands in southern and eastern Slovenia, overnight to Saturday also elsewhere. Tomorrow morning cloudy and foggy, snowfall will slowly weaken and cease by early afternoon also in eastern parts. In total above around 600 m a.s.l. 20 to 40 cm of snow will fall. Strengthened north to northeast wind will blow, transporting snow into drifts. Freezing level at 800 to 1100 m a.s.l. On Sunday mostly sunny, in the afternoon clouding over hills of northern Primorska and partly in western Julians. Slightly colder.



Trend in snow conditions

Today and until tomorrow noon the snowpack will thicken. Presumably most snow will fall in eastern Karawanks, on Pohorje and in eastern part of Kamnik-Savinja Alps, as well as on Notranjska and in eastern Slovenia. The snowpack will become more unstable mainly on steeper grassy and leaf-covered slopes, and at sites with winddrifted snow. RISK WILL MAINLY INCREASE in mid-mountains and hills of eastern Slovenia where there are many grassy slopes, and in high mountains where there was already more snow before the snowfall. In high mountains in the eastern part of our mountains temporarily CONSIDERABLE, level 3, elsewhere MODERATE, level 2. Due to cold weather the snowpack will settle and stabilise only slowly. On Sunday the wind will already be much weaker, so no new drifts expected.



General avalanche danger is level 2 on the European 5-level scale.



Next issue: Monday, 14. 11. 2016



Source: ARSO