Snow conditions 18.12.2017

General avalanche danger level - Monday, 18 December 2017

The danger is 2nd degree on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.

Main problem: wind slab

Danger pattern: cooling after warm weather / warming after frost



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger is currently above sea level around 1400 m MODERATE, 2nd degree, lower down LOW, 1st degree. Steep slopes and places with wind-blown snow are dangerous, where you can trigger primarily slab avalanches with greater snowpack loading. Lower down the snowpack is mostly stable due to smaller snow amounts and intervening rain in recent days.



Snow conditions

On Friday and into Saturday night there were precipitations. The snow line dropped from initial 1200 m to lowlands. In the mountains 5 to around 15 cm of snow fell. More precipitations were in the southern half of Slovenia, where the snow line remained higher longer. A southwest wind blew the new snow into drifts. The new snow was, except higher in the high mountains, wet and fell on a soft base, so it bonded well to it for the most part. The snowpack is soft and loose, scoured on wind-exposed spots. There is a lot of slab.



Forecast weather development

Today and in the coming days it will be dry and fairly sunny in the mountains, while fog or low cloud will form in the lowlands, which may persist all day in places. Temperatures will be below freezing, warming somewhat in the second half of the week with a temperature inversion.



Trend in snow conditions

The snowpack will remain largely unchanged until mid-week due to low temperatures, soft and loose. It will settle somewhat and slowly transform. Avalanche danger will remain MODERATE, 2nd degree. Places with wind-blown snow will remain particularly dangerous.



Next issue: Wednesday, 20 December 2017



Source: ARSO