Snow conditions 19.1.2018
19.01.2018
General avalanche danger level - Friday, 19 January 2018
Danger is 3rd degree on the European 5-level scale - CONSIDERABLE.
Main problem: weak layers
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold
Risk assessment
Avalanche danger is above about 1600 m currently CONSIDERABLE, 3rd degree, lower down MODERATE, 2nd degree. Especially dangerous are steep slopes, particularly areas with wind-packed snow, where even a small load on the snowpack can trigger a wind slab avalanche. Danger is lower at lower elevations, where there is less snow. Lower down, due to transient warming, the possibility for a ground avalanche on steep grassy slopes has slightly increased.
Snow conditions
The snowpack is mostly quite stable, in the high mountains the snow is still soft in places. In places there are a few centimetres of snow on the crust, on Pohorje and in parts of the eastern Karawanks up to 10 cm. Strong wind has drifted remnants of soft snow heavily, new drifts have formed, there are many slabs from before as well.
Forecast weather development
Today mostly cloudy, with occasional precipitation, but little in our mountains. Moderate to strong west or southwest wind will blow, weakening in the afternoon and turning northwest. Freezing level around 1300 m. Tomorrow partly clear with occasional moderate cloudiness. Wind will be much weaker, northwest in the morning, west or southwest in the afternoon. Colder. In the night to Sunday transient occasional light snow. Wind will strengthen. Sunday fairly sunny. Strong, possibly stormy north to northwest wind. Slightly warmer, but freezing level will remain below 1000 m. Monday moderately, occasionally mostly cloudy. Occasional light snowfall somewhere not entirely excluded.
Trend of snow conditions
Today the snowpack will become slightly wet in the mid-mountains and settle and transform faster. Tomorrow it will freeze even in these elevations and be more stable. Elsewhere, wind will mainly shape avalanche conditions, continuing to transport snow and form drifts. Low temperatures in the high mountains will prevent faster transformation and stabilisation of the snowpack. Greater caution advised on areas with wind-packed snow!
Next issue: Monday, 22 January 2018
Source: ARSO