Avalanche forecast
Friday, 20. 2. 2026
Danger level Friday, 20. 2. 2026 at
Danger level 4 – high
Southern Julian Alps, Central Julian Alps, Eastern Julian Alps, Western Julian Alps, Kamnik Alps, Savinja Alps and Carinthia, Western Karawanks, Central Karawanks
New and wind-drifted snow in the high mountains, weak layers in the old snowpack.
Thursday night and Friday will still see snowfall in the mountains, the snow line will lower. On Friday, snowfall will be heavier in the east of our Alps. Spontaneous avalanches will still occur in the high mountains. We advise against visiting the high mountains in current conditions!
Moderate to strong wind from northern aspects will build larger snow drifts on lee sides. Wind-drifted snow areas are more dangerous, where larger slab avalanches can be triggered. New snow will additionally load the old snowpack. This may exceed the carrying capacity of deeper weak layers and trigger deep and large avalanches. Such weak layers are abundant especially on slopes above the forest, but not excluded elsewhere.
In parts of the mid-mountains where it rained, rain has soaked the snowpack. Some new snow will fall on this pack with cooling.
Snowpack
Danger patterns
dp.1: deep hard slab weak layer
dp.4: cooling after warm / warming after cold
The old snowpack is built of layers of somewhat cohesive snow, mostly well bonded together. Deep below the surface in the old snowpack there are several weak layers of facets and faceted grains.
On this base, 50-80 cm of new snow will fall in the high mountains during this snowfall. The snow line on Thursday mostly ranged between 1200 m and 1500 m, on Friday it will lower.
Weather
Initially cloudy and foggy with snowfall, subsiding in the afternoon. Clouds will break in the afternoon. Moderate to strong northerly wind. Colder. Temperature at 1500 m around -5 °C, at 2500 m around -9 °C.
Outlook
Snow conditions will remain challenging in the coming days.
Danger level Friday, 20. 2. 2026 at
Danger level 2 – moderate
Styrian hills and uplands
New snow
Precipitation has occurred since Thursday, as rain outside the highest peaks. Friday night will see renewed intensification of precipitation, snow line will drop quickly, snowing down to lowlands.
Snowpack
Little old snow base, snow present only on highest peaks. 20-40 cm new snow in this snowfall, possibly over 50 cm on top of Pohorje.
Weather
Initially cloudy and foggy with snowfall, subsiding in the afternoon. Clouds will break in the afternoon. Moderate to strong northerly wind. Colder. Temperature at 1500 m around -5 °C.
Outlook
Avalanche danger will remain similar.
Danger level Friday, 20. 2. 2026 at
Danger level 2 – moderate
New snow on highest peaks
Precipitation has occurred since Thursday, as rain outside highest peaks, which soaked the snowpack. Since the snow line is high, only highest peaks will be whitened by snow.
Snowpack
Old snowpack built of layers of somewhat cohesive snow, mostly well bonded together. At the snowpack-ground interface, depth hoar has formed.
Weather
Initially cloudy and foggy with snowfall, subsiding in the afternoon. Clouds will break in the afternoon. Moderate to strong northerly wind. Colder. Temperature at 1500 m around -5 °C.
Outlook
Avalanche danger will remain similar.
https://www.hribi.net/snezne_razmere_v_gorah Source: ARSO