Snow conditions 14.3.2022

General avalanche danger level - Monday, 14. 3. 2022
Danger is level 1 on the European five-level scale - LOW.
Main problem: weak layers, wind slab
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after frost

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger is mostly LOW, level 1. More dangerous are locations with wind slab, mainly south and west of ridges and saddles. Be particularly careful in gullies, where there may still be larger amounts of wind-blown snow, and at transitions from thicker to thinner snow cover. You can trigger an avalanche mainly under greater snow cover load. Wind-exposed locations are heavily wind-scoured. The snow cover is icy in places, posing considerable slip risk. The likelihood of triggering an avalanche increases from late morning on sun-exposed slopes where the snow becomes wet.

Snow conditions
Influenced by sun and higher air temperatures, the snow cover softened yesterday during the day mainly on sun-facing slopes and froze overnight. Below about 1500 m a.s.l., the snow cover also melted in lower areas, but higher up this process was negligible due to dry air mass. In shaded locations, the snow cover has not changed significantly in recent days. Snow is mostly hard and crusted, with some soft wind-blown snow remaining only in shaded and more sheltered spots. During the day, snow on sun-exposed slopes becomes wet and softens, freezing at night. There is little snow in the mountains. High mountains have about 1 m less snow, mid-mountains about 0.5 m less than average. Snow cover depth is very uneven. Sun-facing slopes are largely bare at higher elevations. Wind-exposed locations are heavily wind-scoured, even to bare ground. Due to pronounced nocturnal cooling of the snow cover, surface hoar has formed.

Forecast weather development
Today mostly clear, with occasional cloudiness mainly in hills of northern Primorska and Notranjska, and a little along ridges of southern Julian Alps fringe. Initially light to moderate southwesterly wind, turning northerly during the day and weakening. Zero isotherm around 2000 m a.s.l. Tomorrow, Tuesday, in western Julian Alps mostly cloudy and locally foggy, elsewhere partly clear with occasional increased cloudiness, more in western parts of our mountains. Summits occasionally in clouds. Southwesterly wind strengthening. Slightly warmer than today, freezing level rising to highest peaks. Wednesday initially mostly cloudy and locally foggy, especially east with possible light local precipitation. Clearing during the day. Light to moderate northwesterly wind. Cooling, afternoon zero isotherm again around 2000 m a.s.l.

Trend in snow conditions
Snow conditions will not change much. Snow hard and frozen at night and morning, during day snow cover on sun-facing slopes wet on surface, shaded locations mostly unchanged. Snow cover stable, caution needed only at wind slab spots especially during daytime warming. Considerable slip risk remains. Next avalanche bulletin Wednesday, 16.3.2022.

Next issue: Wednesday, 16. 3. 2022

Source: ARSO