2.03.2023
General avalanche danger level - Thursday, 2 March 2023
The danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind slab, wet snow
Danger pattern: Cold weather, poorly bonded fresh snow with wind
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold
Risk assessment
The avalanche danger is above about 1600 m MODERATE, level 2, lower down LOW, level 1. Steeper slopes with wind slab are particularly hazardous, where you can trigger slab avalanches. Spontaneous avalanching is unlikely. In recent days, the wind has transported snow and formed wind slabs on the southern and western sides of ridges and saddles. Wind-exposed spots are scoured to the old, frozen base, so there is a risk of gliding there. In sheltered spots, the snow is light but already somewhat bonded to the old surface, conditions are stable.
Snow conditions
Yesterday and this morning up to 5 cm of new snow fell, since Friday up to 30 cm of new snow. Beneath the new snow cover is depth hoar, which may become a weak layer in future. The new snow remained dry, the wind transported it into wind slabs. The old snow has frozen, but is mostly covered with new snow. The snow is light and soft, the older base where without new snow is hard and also icy. There are many wind slabs, new small cornices have formed. The snowpack depth is quite uneven, as is the amount of new snow. There is considerably less snow on sun-exposed than on shaded slopes.
Forecast weather development
Thursday cloudy and locally foggy, occasional light snowfall. Weak to moderate easterly wind. Temperature at 1500 m -2°C, at 2500 m -6°C. Friday mostly cloudy, locally foggy, weak northeasterly wind. Saturday mostly clear, significantly warmer during the day, temperature at 1500 m around 3°C. Sunday after a clear morning gradually clouding over during the day. Cloudy weather with occasional snowfall also at the beginning of next week.
Trend in snow conditions
Snow and avalanche conditions will not change much on Friday, below 1300 m the snow will become somewhat wet. On Saturday after a clear and cold morning it will significantly warm up during the day, avalanche danger especially on sun-exposed slopes will be CONSIDERABLE, level 3. Expect shedding of snow that fell in recent days. Sunday somewhat colder and probably more cloudy during the day, so avalanche danger will decrease. Beginning of next week cloudy with occasional snowfall, zero isotherm below 1500 m.
Next bulletin: Friday, 3 March 2023
Source: ARSO