Snow conditions 21.12.2023

General avalanche danger level - Thursday, 21 December 2023
Danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind slab
Danger pattern: cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger above about 2000 m is MODERATE, level 2, lower down LOW, level 1. Especially dangerous are steep slopes with cornices and gullies where snow is accumulated. On wind-exposed terrain there is a risk of full-depth slab avalanches.

Snow conditions
Due to the strong temperature change, snow on sun-exposed aspects melted during the day and refroze at night in the past few days, crust strengthened, settled somewhat, and thinned in the mid-mountains. In shaded areas, snow remained dry and soft and poorly metamorphosed, with some crust only due to wind. There is little snow in the mid-mountains, thicker snow cover is mostly only above about 2000 m above sea level. There is more snow in the Julian Alps than elsewhere in our mountains. There are quite a few cornices, currently mainly on the south sides of ridges and saddles.

Forecast weather development
Today, Thursday, it will be moderately to mostly cloudy. Weak to moderate westerly winds will blow, strengthening in the afternoon. The zero isotherm is slightly above 1500 m above sea level and will rise in the afternoon, especially in the eastern part of our mountains. Tomorrow, Friday, it will be cloudy and foggy in places, with occasional light precipitation, snow above about 1300 m. A strengthened northwesterly will blow. On Saturday, moderately to mostly cloudy, cloud base mostly above summits. Occasional light precipitation mainly on Pohorje and in the eastern Karawanks. Moderate to strong northwesterly will blow. Sunday dry weather.

Trend in snow conditions
Due to minor temperature fluctuations, the snowpack will slowly settle and metamorphose, thus also stabilising in the longer term. Avalanche danger will not change much in the next few days. In the high mountains, the strong northwesterly on Saturday will still transport snow, but there will be no major new snow accumulations. There will still be a risk of slab avalanches on scoured terrain in the high mountains. The possibility of triggering an avalanche will be on steeper slopes with wind-loaded snow and in gullies, mainly on southern aspects where there are snow deposits.

Next issue: Friday, 22 December 2023

Source: ARSO