Snow conditions 25.3.2022

General danger level - Friday, 25. 3. 2022
The danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind-blown snow, wet snow
Danger pattern: Spring situation

Risk assessment
Due to overnight cooling, the snowpack is currently mostly well bonded. The avalanche danger is LOW, level 1, but during the day it increases due to the influence of the sun and warm weather and is particularly on sun-exposed slopes MODERATE, level 2. During the day, on sufficiently steep sun-exposed slopes, small to medium wet snow avalanches can release or you can trigger them with greater loading, mainly from late morning to late afternoon. In the morning and forenoon, slipping is still quite dangerous.

Snow conditions
The situation is spring-like. At night, due to clear weather and dry air, the snow freezes; during the day, due to the sun's influence, especially on sun-exposed slopes, it crusts and softens significantly. With warming, the snowpack also melts and diminishes. In more shaded locations, this process is slower; due to dry air, especially in the high mountains, the snow remains dry or frozen. On sun-exposed slopes it is mostly well crusted, in shaded gullies there is also crust. Wind-exposed locations are scoured, even to bare ground. On sun-exposed slopes in the mid-mountains, it is often bare or there is little snow.

Forecast weather development
Today and tomorrow clear, air dry. Today a light wind from southern directions will blow, tomorrow even somewhat weaker and variable directions. At midday, temperature at 1500 m around 8, at 2500 m around 0 °C, tomorrow perhaps a degree lower. On Sunday mostly clear, locally a light southwest wind will already blow. Temperature conditions will not change much. On Monday, in most of the mountains and hills still quite clear, in the interior and northern Primorska clouds will start to gather. A southwest wind will blow.

Trend of snow conditions
The snowpack will freeze at night, but during the day it will crust and soften considerably. Snow will also melt on sun-exposed slopes. Because the air will be relatively dry, there will be considerable differences in hardness between sun-exposed and shaded slopes. The snowpack will be mostly stable in the morning and initially forenoon, but during the day, especially on sun-exposed slopes, the danger of triggering wet snow avalanches will increase slightly. The slipping danger will decrease somewhat due to warmer weather, greater caution needed especially in the morning hours. On the night to Monday, due to wind and more humid air, we expect that snow will mostly not freeze, more chance of freezing in the eastern part of our mountains. The next avalanche bulletin will be published on Monday, 28.3.2022.

Next publication: Monday, 28. 3. 2022

Source: ARSO