Snow conditions 25. 4. 2024

General avalanche danger level - Thursday, 25. 4. 2024
The danger is level 3 on the European 5-level scale - CONSIDERABLE.
Main problem: wind slab, new snow, wet snow
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Risk assessment
The danger of avalanche release is mostly CONSIDERABLE, level 3. A lot of snow has fallen in the mountains in recent days. In the high mountains, new snow has fallen in places on a hard and icy base. Especially on steep slopes, we expect spontaneous sloughing of unconsolidated snow. Especially around summits and ridges, there are areas with wind slab that can be triggered by a small load. In places under the wind slab, there may also be surface hoar or faceting, which forms a weak layer. With gradual warming, wet snow avalanches will release in the mid-mountains, particularly dangerous will be steep grassy areas.

Snow conditions
Since Monday, 40 to 70 cm of snow has fallen in the mountains above about 1200 m, it has snowed down to the valleys. The snowpack has already softened somewhat in the mid-mountains on Wednesday during the day. On the more moist base, 10 to 15 cm of drier snow fell last night. During snowfall, a light to moderate northeast wind blew mainly around summits and ridges, transporting snow and building snow deposits. The snowpack sinks deeply in most places, making movement difficult. Conditions are fully wintery. In the high mountains, wind-exposed areas are scoured down to the icy base, so there is a risk of slipping there.

Forecast weather development
Today, Thursday, light to moderate snow in the morning. Snow line around 800 m a.s.l. In the afternoon, clouds will break up, individual snow showers possible. Mostly light wind from eastern directions. Temperature at 1500 m around -2, at 2500 m around -8 °C. Overnight to Friday clearing, low clouds possible in places reaching up to about 1200 m a.s.l. Friday morning and forenoon mostly sunny, midday and afternoon variable cloudiness. Showers developing in the afternoon. Snow line around 1400 m a.s.l., small amounts of precipitation. Southwest wind strengthening, moderate in the afternoon. 0 °C isotherm rising during the day to about 1700 m a.s.l. Midday temperature at 1500 m around 1, at 2500 m around -6 °C. Saturday also variable cloudiness, more sunshine in the morning. Local showers occurring, more likely in the Julian Alps. Snow line rising slightly to about 1800 m. Light to moderate southwest wind. Midday temperature at 1500 m around 3, at 2500 m around -3 °C. Sunday dry, partly clearing. Noticeably warmer. Moderate southwest wind continues. 0 °C isotherm rising above 3000 m a.s.l. during the day!

Trend in snow conditions
Avalanche danger will remain CONSIDERABLE, level 3 due to thaw. Tomorrow we expect spontaneous wet snow avalanches mainly in the mid-mountains, Saturday and Sunday also in the high mountains. Larger snow avalanches possible on individual slopes. In the mid-mountains, the snowpack will transform and melt rapidly. Due to clearing, the snowpack will freeze overnight, crust strengthening. Southwest wind will occasionally transport light snow in the high mountains, new wind slabs forming.

Next issue: Friday, 26. 4. 2024

Source: ARSO