Snow conditions 16. 12. 2024

General danger level - Monday, 16 December 2024
Danger is level 1 on the European five-level scale - LOW.
Main problem: favourable conditions, new snow

Risk assessment
Winter conditions have prevailed in the mountains for several weeks, requiring attention and use of appropriate equipment. Although there is little snow everywhere for this time of year, there are still smaller snow drifts with wind-packed snow in leeward positions in the high mountains. There, triggering a smaller slab is not excluded, which can cause a fall on steep terrain. On wind-exposed sites, the old icy snow base is exposed in places, on which we can slip. Both threats are spatially quite limited, so choosing safe passages with safe runout in the approach or use of appropriate winter equipment is important.

Snow conditions
Due to pronounced warming at altitudes, a strong temperature inversion occurred. The air in the mountains is very dry and warm. Snow, as much as there is, wets and melts on sun-exposed slopes during the day, freezes slightly at night. In shaded positions it mostly stands dry or frozen. There is little snow, mostly blown into drifts. Especially in shaded positions, but elsewhere in the morning hours, the base can also be icy.

Forecast weather development
Until Thursday afternoon, dry weather in the mountains, Thursday afternoon small precipitation will start appearing on Primorska and Notranjska. In the night to Friday they will intensify and spread over all Slovenia. The snow line will initially be around 1500 m above sea level, especially in the north it may drop below 1000 m, elsewhere less likely. In the western and southern Julian Alps around 20 cm of snow is forecast, elsewhere less, in the eastern part of the mountains only 5 to 10 cm. Initially southwest wind, then strengthened north to northeast wind. At the end of the week dry and colder weather.

Tendency of snow conditions
Until Thursday snow on sun-exposed slopes will melt, in shaded positions it will remain due to dry air, nor will it wet much. In the night to Friday and Friday morning the snow cover will thicken somewhat. With cooling the snow will remain dry, wind will blow it into drifts, wind-exposed positions will be heavily scoured, possibly to bare ground. Smaller slabs will form, which on steep slopes will be potentially unstable. There a hiker or skier may trigger a small slab avalanche. Due to cooling and wind there may also be icy spots.

Next issue: Friday, 20 December 2024

Source: ARSO