Snow conditions 24.12.2019

Danger is 3rd degree on the European five-level scale - CONSIDERABLE.

Main problem: wind slab

Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after frost



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger is currently in the high mountains above about 1800 m elevation in the Julian Alps, elsewhere above 2000 m, CONSIDERABLE, 3rd degree, lower down mostly LOW, 1st degree. Especially steeper, and also medium steep slopes are dangerous, where above 1800 m small and individual medium-sized slab avalanches can release spontaneously, individual large slab avalanches are also possible. You can trigger a slab avalanche already with minor additional load on places with wind slab, which are most numerous on the eastern and southern sides of ridges and saddles. Below about 1600 m there is significantly less snow, it is relatively well bonded to the ground and therefore the snowpack is mostly stable there. There is also less snow in the eastern Karawanks.



Snow conditions

The snowpack is soft and loose, the thickest layers of soft snow are in the Julian Alps above about 1800 m elevation. Due to strong wind there are many wind slabs, which first formed with southwesterly winds, then with northerly winds. Wind-exposed locations are heavily scoured, in places down to bare or old snow surface. Under the new snow there is a crust layer, on which the upper layer of snow can slide. Above about 1700 m the snow is dry, lower down wet or frozen. In the high mountains, movement is also quite difficult due to the large amount of new snow.



Forecast weather development

Today it will be mostly clear, in the afternoon slightly cloudy, in the evening and initially at night individual snow showers will form. Northwesterly wind will weaken in the morning and turn to westerly in the afternoon, in the night to Wednesday back to northwesterly and strengthen again. Tomorrow initially mostly clear, during the day variably cloudy with small snow showers forming. Moderate to strong northerly to northwesterly wind will blow. Freezing level both days around 1700 m elevation, in the night to Thursday it will cool slightly. On Thursday mostly clear, wind will weaken in the morning. Towards evening clouding from the west. Freezing level around 1400 m elevation. On Friday moderately to mostly cloudy and mostly dry.



Trend in snow conditions

In the high mountains, where there is the most snow, the snowpack will transform and settle only slowly due to low temperatures. Northerly wind will create new wind slabs. In places a thin crust will form due to wind, in sheltered locations the snow will remain soft. Lower down it will settle during the day and freeze at night. Avalanche danger will decrease only slowly.



Next issue: Friday, 27.12.2019



Source: ARSO