Snow conditions 13.11.2023

General danger level - Monday, 13 November 2023
The danger is level 1 on the European 5-level scale - LOW.
Main problem: wind slab
Danger pattern: cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Danger assessment
The avalanche danger in the high mountains is LOW, level 1. Some caution is needed in areas with wind slab, which is in the high mountains above about 2000 m, and especially to the east a bit higher. Saturday's new snow mostly does not pose additional danger, but it has covered hollows and icy patches, making the danger harder to recognize. On wind-exposed slopes, the surface is icy, so caution is needed due to the risk of slipping.

Snow conditions
On Friday night into Saturday morning, it snowed in the mountains. The snow line was between 800 and 1000 m elevation. 5 to about 20 cm of snow fell, depending on elevation, less in the eastern part of our mountains. With the strong southwest wind, drifts formed in the high mountains. After the snowfall, it cleared up, snow settled and melted quickly at lower elevations. The snow line was already above 1700 m on Sunday, rising to 2500 m by today. In the high mountains, snow on sun-exposed slopes settled faster, refroze at night after crusting during the day. Snow in the high mountains is soft in shaded areas, crusted on sun-exposed slopes, with crust also forming elsewhere due to wind. There are quite a few drifts, wind-exposed slopes are scoured to the ground. There it is icy in places. Continuous snow cover mostly starts around 1500 m, a bit lower in gullies, above 1600 m on sun-exposed slopes. In the high mountains, there is 20 to 90 cm of snow, more in the western and central Julian Alps than elsewhere. Conditions in the high mountains are wintery.

Forecast weather development
Today it will be mostly clear with some high clouds. Some clouds in the mid-mountains of northern Primorska and Notranjska. Westerly wind strengthening. Tomorrow, the cloud tops will gradually rise, also the ridges and peaks of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, Karawanks and Pohorje will gradually enter clouds. Snow line above the highest peaks. Locally dew or occasional light rain on the west. Strong southwest wind blowing. On Tuesday night, minor precipitation possible everywhere temporarily. Clearing by Tuesday morning, moderate to strong northwesterly wind. Slightly colder, snow line around 2000 m. Minor precipitation possible again on Friday, then again a few days of dry weather.

Trend in snow conditions
With warming, snow will also crust and settle somewhat in the high mountains, especially on sunlit slopes. It will diminish lower down. With cooling on Tuesday night, it will refreeze. Little new snow on Tuesday night, about 5 cm forecast, probably none in the western Julian Alps. Until Sunday, it will remain relatively cold, snow line lowest on Saturday around 1400 m elevation. Then temporarily slightly warmer, cooling again in the first half of next week. Avalanche conditions will not change much. In the high mountains, continued caution needed at wind slab locations and wind-exposed slopes where slipping hazard in places. Snow will slowly transform and bond somewhat, but hollows remain. New snow in the next ten days will not be enough to affect avalanche conditions. NEW AVALANCHE REPORT WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED if avalanche conditions change markedly.

Next issue: Monday, 27 November 2023

Source: ARSO