Snow conditions 17.12.2018

The danger is level 1 on the European five-level scale - LOW.

Main problem:

Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger is LOW, level 1. The snowpack is stable. There are many wind slabs in the high mountains, where under heavy load the only possibility is a slab release on sufficiently steep slopes.



Snow conditions

Dry, cold and occasionally quite windy weather continues. Snow conditions are very varied. Overall there is rather little snow, somewhat more only in the high mountains of the Julian Alps. In sheltered locations snow is soft, on wind-exposed sites hard or crusty, many places heavily wind scoured, even to bare ground. Significant snow cover starts between 1300 and 1500 m, sometimes higher.



Forecast weather development

This afternoon partly clearing, moderate northeast wind blowing. Temperatures below zero. Tomorrow mostly clear. Temperature reversal occurring, mid-mountains locally above zero. But air dry. Wednesday initially quite clear, during the day cloudiness thickening over summits. Thursday cloudy with occasional snowfall, mainly western part morning and forenoon, afternoon also eastern part of our mountains. Expected 5 to about 15 cm snow. Friday moderately to mostly cloudy and slightly warmer.



Trend in snow conditions

Snowpack state changes little until Thursday. Thursday snowing, but amount probably too small to affect avalanche conditions. New wind slabs forming, steep slopes high mountains weak connection between base and new snow. There caution needed, otherwise snowpack stable.



Next bulletin: Friday, 21. 12. 2018



Source: ARSO