Snow conditions 17. 4. 2025

General danger level - Thursday, 17. 4. 2025
Danger is level 3 on the European five-point scale - CONSIDERABLE.
Main problem: wet snow, gliding snow
Danger pattern: Spring situation
Danger pattern: Rain

Risk assessment
The danger of snow avalanche release is CONSIDERABLE, level 3. The snowpack is wet up to the highest peaks, saturated to the ground in many places. Avalanches of wet cohesive and non-cohesive snow will release spontaneously, possibly also full-depth avalanches. Cornice collapse is possible. Tomorrow, Friday, due to cooling above 2200 m the snowpack will be temporarily more stable, so the general danger there will be MODERATE, level 2. On Saturday during the day it will warm up again, so the danger will increase again to level 3.

Snow conditions
In recent days it has been warm and rainy in the mountains, with occasional rain up to the highest peaks. Small to medium-sized wet loose snow avalanches have released even in the high mountains, and full-depth avalanches in places. The snowpack is wet on the surface, wet to the ground below 2000 m. Rain has reduced the cohesion of the upper layers of the snowpack even in the high mountains, and in places has caused saturation of the entire snowpack with water. The snowpack has therefore become less stable. Wet slab and loose snow avalanches can release spontaneously or under light load. Full-depth avalanches and cornice collapse are also possible.

Forecast weather development
Today it will be cloudy and rainy, with possible thunderstorms. More precipitation in the Julian Alps and Western Karawanks, elsewhere only a few litres. Initially rain up to the highest peaks. A strengthened wind will blow, strong southeasterly in the high mountains. In the late afternoon a weakly pronounced cold front will pass from the west, with the centre of precipitation shifting eastwards. The snow line will drop to 1700 m, but there will be little precipitation after the cooling. Thunderstorms are possible. In the second half of the night to Friday another weakly pronounced cold front will approach, so there could be precipitation again mainly in the Posočje Julian Alps. Up to 30 cm of new snow may fall above 2000 m. Precipitation will cease by morning. Tomorrow, Friday, it will be cloudy, with possible showers mainly in the west during the day, snow line around 1600 m. On Saturday it will be cloudy in the mid-mountains on the Primorska side of the Dinaric-Alpine barrier, sunny elsewhere. The 0°C isotherm will rise during the day from 2500 m to 3000 m. Moderate southwesterly wind. On Sunday the weather will be similar to Saturday.

Tendency of snow conditions
The snowpack is wet, saturated to the ground in many places. With rain today, Thursday, wet cohesive and non-cohesive snow avalanches will release spontaneously up to the highest peaks. Full-depth avalanches and cornice collapse are also possible. Due to mild cooling, the snowpack will be somewhat more stable on Friday above 2200 m, but on Saturday the probability of avalanche release will increase there due to rising temperatures. Below 2200 m the snowpack will remain unstable for a few more days.

Next issue: Sunday, 20. 4. 2025

Source: ARSO