Snow conditions 18.11.2019

The danger is 3 - CONSIDERABLE on the European five-level scale.

Main problem: wind slab

Danger pattern: Cold weather, fresh poorly bonded snow drifted by wind



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE, 3, in the high mountains of the Julian Alps above approx. 1800 m, similarly also in the high mountains of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps above sea level 2000 m, below 1800 m and elsewhere in our mountains mostly LOW, 1. Medium-size and small avalanches of poorly bonded snow can be released on sufficiently steep slopes. There are many wind slabs and slabs that can be triggered by a minor load on the snowpack.



Snow conditions

Since Friday morning 40 to about 70 cm of snow has fallen in the high mountains of the Julian Alps, elsewhere 10 to 50 cm, depending on altitude and geographical location. The snow line fluctuated, occasionally it rained even a little below 2000 m. The new snow is soft and light, strong winds from southerly directions drifted it into wind slabs, new slabs formed. Wind-exposed places are scoured. The snowpack is soft and unconsolidated and sinks deeply, as the bottom layers of snow are not transformed and are soft. In places there is a crust in the snowpack that formed due to wind, at marginal altitudes where it occasionally rained, also due to occasional freezing. Below about 1800 m there is rapidly less snow.



Forecast weather evolution

Today partly clear at first, during the day again more cloudiness in the west and a little precipitation is not entirely excluded on the southern and western foothills of the Julians and foothills. At night precipitation will increase in the west and tomorrow cloudy and foggy with precipitation. The snow line will initially be at sea level between 1000 and 1300 m, during the day it will rise to about 1600 m. Precipitation will be in the area of the Julians and western and central Karawanks, further east mostly dry. Moderate to strong southerly wind will blow. On Wednesday occasional precipitation on Pohorje and perhaps in the eastern Karawanks, but the amount will not be large. Snow line between 1200 and 1400 m. Elsewhere dry weather. Wind will be weaker than on Tuesday.



Trend in snow conditions

The snowpack will remain soft and unconsolidated in the high mountains, the snow will settle only a little. Wind will make new wind slabs mainly on northern and north-eastern sides of ridges and saddles. New snow in the western and central Julians will maintain the instability of the snowpack on Tuesday night and Tuesday. Since it will snow onto a soft base, the connection of the new snow to the snowpack will be relatively good. No major changes in avalanche conditions are expected until mid-week.



Next bulletin: Wednesday, 20.11.2019



Source: ARSO