Snow conditions 22.12.2021

General danger level - Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind slab
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / thaw after frost

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger is mainly above the treeline MODERATE, level 2, lower down mostly LOW, level 1. Particularly dangerous spots with wind-drifted snow, more of them on south-facing slopes above the treeline. This especially applies to gullies, where there is a larger amount of drifted snow. In shaded positions in the high mountains there are also weak layers in the old snow cover that can fail especially where there is less snow. Icy spots have increased further due to cooling, hence high risk of slipping.

Snow conditions
Due to cooling, the snow cover has frozen everywhere and is quite transformed. The surface is crusted, in places hard and often icy. Only in gullies are there still positions with some dry, softer snow, but even there the surface is crusted in many places due to strong northerly wind in the past. Wind-exposed positions are scoured, in some places down to bare ground. In recent days, especially above the treeline, strengthened winds from northern directions have continued to build new cornices. These can be triggered with slightly higher load. Below the treeline, the snow cover is stable.

Forecast weather development
Today mostly clear in the high mountains, below sea level around 1500 m initially low cloudiness which will slowly recede. Weak westerly winds blowing. Temperature at 1500 m around -5, at 2500 m around -8 °C. Tomorrow low cloudiness from the Primorske hills will spread towards the ridge of the Lower Bohinj Mountains, elsewhere considerable medium and high cloudiness which will be above the summits. Weak to moderate westerly winds blowing, strengthening in the afternoon. Noticeably warmer. At 1500 m around 0, at 2500 m around -2 °C. On Friday still mostly clear in the mountains in northern Slovenia, in the Notranjska and Primorska hills it will cloud over and light rain will start. Moderate to strong westerly winds blowing. At 1500 m from 0 to 5, at 2500 m around -1 °C. Occasional precipitation at the end of the week. It will snow in the high mountains, mostly rain lower down. Freezing level around 2000 m above sea level.

Trend in snow conditions
On Thursday snow and avalanche conditions will not change much. On Friday we expect gradual thaw, which will first reach only the southern part of our mountains. In the mid-mountains the snow cover will thaw and melt in places. Avalanche danger will increase slightly, this especially applies to steeper grassy slopes. In the high mountains conditions will remain similar, still dangerous for slipping. At the end of the week we expect deterioration with precipitation. Currently it is still very uncertain what the amount of precipitation will be. Warmer. Snow line at sea level between 1500 and 1900 m, lower in the area of the eastern Julian Alps. We expect avalanche release danger to increase due to thaw and new snow. Next avalanche bulletin will be published on Friday, 24 December 2021.

Next issue: Saturday, 25 December 2021

Source: ARSO