Snow conditions 12.2.2018

General avalanche danger level - Monday, 12. 2. 2018

The danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.

Main problem: wind-blown snow

Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after frost



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger in mountains above about 1000 m altitude is MODERATE, level 2, lower down mostly LOW, level 1. Steep slopes and areas with wind-blown snow are particularly dangerous, where you can trigger an avalanche especially under greater load. Spontaneous release is unlikely, but with possible sunny weather, an avalanche or cornice failure may occur especially on steep southern slopes.



Snow conditions

The snowpack is mostly soft, only in some more wind-exposed locations the snow is somewhat harder, denser or crusty, crusty also at lower altitudes and somewhat higher on sun-exposed slopes. There are many drifts and cornices. Wind-exposed locations are scoured to the old base or to bare ground in places, where the base can be hard and icy.



Forecast weather development

Today and tomorrow cloudy with light snowfall. Until tomorrow midday, when snowfall will mostly cease, 10 to max 20 cm of dry snow is expected. Today the northeast wind will strengthen, tomorrow afternoon it will weaken. It will transport snow into drifts. From Wednesday to Friday mostly sunny weather, on Wednesday during the day cumulus clouds and occasional snow showers will form. On Thursday it will gradually warm up in higher elevations, the freezing level will rise above 2000 m altitude.



Trend in snow conditions

The old snowpack will settle only slowly due to low temperatures. New snow will fall on a mostly soft base and therefore there will be no pronounced weak layer between old and new snow. Wind slabs will form due to wind mainly on southern and western sides of ridges and passes. There the avalanche danger will slightly increase, with loading of the snowpack you can trigger a slab avalanche. In hills and partly in mid-mountains, below about 1000 m altitude, the snowpack will be mostly stable. From Thursday onwards, due to warming and sunny weather, the danger of avalanche release will increase from late morning to late afternoon.



Next issue: Wednesday, 14. 2. 2018



Source: ARSO