Snow conditions 19.2.2018

General danger level - Monday, 19. 2. 2018

Danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.

Main problem: wind-drifted snow, new snow

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

Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after frost



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger in the mountains is mostly MODERATE, level 2. Steep slopes and areas with wind-drifted snow are especially dangerous, particularly in shadier locations where old snow is still soft and poorly transformed. There, under greater load, you can trigger a snow slab avalanche. Spontaneous slab release is unlikely.



Snow conditions

Over the weekend, cloudy weather prevailed. Snow in hills and mountains remained mostly dry, only below around 1000 m a.s.l. did it crust. From Saturday to Sunday and on Sunday daytime, 10 to about 15 cm of snow fell. The base was mainly crusted on sun-exposed slopes, sometimes hard and partly icy, while in shaded areas old snow was soft. On wind-exposed locations, wind transported snow into drifts. New snow bonded to the base only in shaded areas, while connection to the crust is poor. The snowpack is soft and loose, the lower crust holds human weight in places. In shaded areas, snow settles deeply under human weight. New snow can form slabs under load on steeper slopes, but in shaded areas new and old snow are well bonded; there it can slab with the old base layer especially at wind-drifted snow locations.



Forecast weather development

Cloudy weather period ahead. Today mostly dry, relatively weak winds from the east. Tomorrow thicker cloud cover, foggy in places. Light snowfall mainly in the eastern part of our mountains. In Julian Alps, western and central Karawanks the amount of new snow will be very small, in the far west very likely completely dry. Moderate northeasterly wind blowing, strengthening towards evening. On Wednesday weather similar, northeasterly wind somewhat stronger. Occasional snowfall, but mostly dry in the west. Cold all days with temperatures below zero in hills and mountains.



Trend in snow conditions

Due to low temperatures and mostly cloudy weather, the snowpack will settle only slowly, including new snow which will remain light and soft. Wind will transport it into drifts. Since up to midweek mainly in eastern Karawanks, Pohorje and Kamnik-Savinja Alps up to around 20 or locally more snow will fall, avalanche conditions there will gradually worsen. Midweek the main danger in that area will be new snow drifted into deposits. Elsewhere avalanche conditions will change little.



Next issue: Wednesday, 21. 2. 2018



Source: ARSO