Snow conditions 18.12.2023

General danger level - Monday, 18.12.2023
The danger is level 2 on the European 5-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind slab, wet snow, weak layers
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Danger assessment
Avalanche danger is MODERATE, level 2 above about 1700 m, LOW, level 1 lower down. With pronounced warming, steep southern slopes will be dangerous especially in the middle of the day and in the afternoon, where small to medium-sized wet snow avalanches are possible. Especially around ridges and summits of the high mountains, wind slabs have newly formed on southern aspects, which you can trigger with increased load. On shady northern aspects, weak layers may be buried. Be especially careful at transitions between thin and thick snowpack, where you can trigger wind slab avalanches.

Snow conditions
On Saturday, a strong northerly wind blew mainly in the high mountains, transporting light snow and forming new wind slabs, dunes and cornices at exposed locations. On Sunday, dry and very warm air reached the mountains. In sunny weather, snow on steep sun-exposed areas hardened and melted in the mid-mountains. The snow froze overnight today, forming a crust. In shady areas, the snowpack condition has not changed significantly. The snowpack remains dry, in many places considerably wind-affected and redistributed. Settlement of the snowpack is occurring in places. There is relatively little snow in the mid-mountains, sun-exposed areas are increasingly bare higher up. More snow than the long-term average is only in the higher parts of the high mountains, above about 2300 m.

Forecast weather development
Today, Monday, and tomorrow we will still be in an area of high pressure. Clear and warm weather will prevail. The wind will be light, only tomorrow afternoon a moderate westerly wind will blow in places. Temperature at 1500 m will be from 6 to 11, at 2500 m around 5 °C. Colder in shady areas. On Wednesday, a weakened weather disturbance will reach us. In the morning, it will cloud over from the northwest. From medium and high clouds, light snow may fall. Towards evening, it will start to clear, a light to moderate northerly wind will blow. Colder. Temperature at 1500 m around 2 at midday, at 2500 m around -4 °C. On Thursday, cloudiness will change. A strong westerly wind will blow. Temperature at 1500 m around 1, at 2500 m around -6 °C. Also for the rest of the week, mostly dry and windy weather is expected, without particular cold.

Trend in snow conditions
On southern aspects, snow will transform and stabilise with warming. With cooling from Wednesday onwards, icy slopes will increase. While on shady aspects the snowpack will still be unstable in places, avalanche danger above about 1800 m will remain MODERATE, level 2. Avalanche danger will decrease only slowly.

Next issue: Thursday, 21.12.2023

Source: ARSO