Snow conditions 26.11.2021

General avalanche danger level - Friday, 26. 11. 2021
Danger is level 1 on the European five-level scale - LOW.
Main problem: new snow, wind slab
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after frost
Danger pattern: Cold weather, poorly bonded fresh snow with wind

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger is currently LOW, level 1. There is too little new snow to increase the avalanche risk. Conditions will slightly WORSEN in the coming days.

Snow conditions
In dry weather the snowpack slowly transformed up to yesterday, melting on sun-exposed slopes. Old snow in the high mountains is hard and icy in places. Up to this morning around 10 cm of snow fell, snow line mostly above 1500 m, but lowering in morning hours.

Forecast weather development
In the mountains today and tomorrow cloudy and foggy. Occasional snow showers. Today southeast winds, tomorrow moderate southwest wind. Today cooling, zero isotherm in the afternoon between 1000 and 1300 m above sea level. Tomorrow warmer air will advect during the day. Sunday variable to mostly cloudy. Occasional snow, possibly short intense snow showers. Moderate southwest wind. Zero isotherm below 1000 m. Monday dry and cold. Weak to moderate north winds.

Trend of snow conditions
Today and in coming days the snowpack will thicken. Most snow expected in the Julian Alps area, up to 40 to 70 cm, elsewhere 30 to 50 cm depending on elevation and location. Snow on bare ground, except high mountains above around 2000 m above sea level on old hard or crusted snow. Snow mostly dry, wet only in lower mid-elevations. Southwest wind will form wind slabs on wind-exposed sites on north and east slopes. Monday north wind, slabs forming on south sides of ridges and passes. Avalanche danger will increase mainly in high mountains where wind slab areas will be critical. There on steeper slopes small slab avalanches can be triggered by minor loading

Next issue: Monday, 29. 11. 2021

Source: ARSO