Snow conditions 24.3.2023

General avalanche danger level - Friday, 24. 3. 2023
The danger is level 2 on the European 5-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind slab, wet snow
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Risk assessment
The avalanche danger is currently above about 1900 m elevation MODERATE, level 2. Steep southern slopes are particularly hazardous, where due to daytime warming we also expect individual spontaneous wet snow avalanches. In the high mountains, wind slab may occur in places; with greater load you may trigger a small slab avalanche. Lower down, the danger is LOW, level 1. Wind-exposed locations are scoured to the old base, which freezes at night, so there is also a risk of gliding there, especially in the morning and early afternoon.

Snow conditions
It is still relatively warm in the mountains today. The snow line is at about 3100 m elevation. Especially on steep southern slopes, the snow softens during the day, but freezes at night in the high mountains. In more shaded locations, the snow has transformed much more slowly due to dry air. Primarily on the southern and western sides of ridges and saddles, there are areas with wind slab. Wind-exposed locations are scoured to the hard and in places icy old base. In the mid-mountains, there are already many bare patches.

Forecast weather development
On Friday, partly clear with occasional moderate cloudiness, on the west mostly cloudy and foggy in places. A moderate to strong southwesterly will blow. Towards evening, there will already be minor precipitation in the Bovec area, which will intensify overnight into Saturday and cover all of Slovenia. On Saturday morning they will gradually stop, during the day there will still be local snow showers. The snow line will initially be around 1800 m, dropping to about 1100 m elevation by Saturday morning. A northwesterly will blow. On Sunday, initially partly clear, during the day gradually clouding over from the west. A southwesterly will blow. In the afternoon, light precipitation possible in the western part of our mountains. Overnight into Monday, precipitation will intensify and cover all of Slovenia. On Monday morning they will already stop, during the day there will still be minor snow showers. A strong northerly wind will blow, it will be even colder. The zero isotherm will be on Monday at about 1400 m elevation, and it will cool even more overnight into Tuesday.

Trend in snow conditions
Today, sun and warm air mass will still influence snow and avalanche conditions. The snowpack will soften on sun-exposed slopes during the day, lower down the snow will also melt. Avalanche conditions will deteriorate slightly during the day. Overnight into Saturday and early Saturday morning, 10 to over 20 cm of snow will fall, most in the high mountains and western part of the mountains. Avalanche conditions will deteriorate slightly, but we do not expect an increase by a full level. Some more new snow will fall by Monday morning, another 10 to 20 cm. The northerly wind will drift it into wind slabs; due to cooling, the snow will be drier and thus less well bonded to the base. Especially dangerous will be steep slopes and slopes on the southern and western sides of ridges and saddles, where slabs of new snow drifted by the wind will form.

Next issue: Monday, 27. 3. 2023

Source: ARSO