Snow conditions 21.2.2018
21.02.2018
General danger level - Wednesday, 21. 2. 2018
Danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind slab
Danger pattern: Cold weather, fresh snow transported by wind, poorly bonded
Risk assessment
Avalanche danger in the mountains is mostly MODERATE, level 2. Steep slopes and areas with wind slabs are especially dangerous, particularly in more shaded locations where old snow is still soft and poorly metamorphosed. Especially there you can trigger a snow avalanche with greater loading, on steep spots with wind slabs you can even trigger a snow avalanche with minor loading of the snowpack in some places. Spontaneous avalanching is unlikely.
Snow conditions
Since Monday cloudy and cold weather prevailed with occasional light snowfall. A noteworthy amount of snow fell only in the eastern Karawanks and on Pohorje, up to about 15 cm. Elsewhere new snow was only up to about 5 cm. Easterly winds blew, drifting the new snow into slabs. Snow remains dry and soft, on wind-exposed locations new snow is scoured. The old base on southern slopes and plateaus is crusty, the crust mostly does not bear human weight.
Expected weather development
Cloudy and cold weather will continue. Occasional light snowfall, somewhat more pronounced on the night to Thursday and Thursday morning, and on Friday. More precipitation in southern and eastern Slovenia. Moderate, occasionally strengthening northeasterly wind will blow.
Trend of snow conditions
Due to low temperature and mostly cloudy weather the snowpack will continue to metamorphose only slowly. In the eastern part of our mountains and in the hills of Notranjska, Kočevsko and partly central Slovenia around 20 cm of snow will fall by Friday morning, elsewhere from 5 to 10 cm. In shady aspects snow will be soft, in sunny aspects on old crusty base new light and soft snow. New slabs will form, especially in areas with more new snow. Especially in eastern Karawanks avalanche danger will somewhat increase, elsewhere presumably too little new snow. Dangerous will be spots with wind slabs on steeper slopes.
Next publication: Friday, 23. 2. 2018
Source: ARSO