Snow conditions 27.12.2021

General avalanche danger level - Monday, 27. 12. 2021
Danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind slab
Danger pattern: cooling after warm weather / warming after frost

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger above about 1800 m elevation is MODERATE, level 2, lower down LOW, level 1. Wind slabs are more dangerous, more numerous on south-facing slopes above the treeline. This applies especially to gullies, where there is a larger amount of drifted snow. In shaded high-mountain locations there are also weak layers in the old snowpack that can fail especially where snow is thinner. In high mountains mainly gliding risk on wind-exposed terrain.

Snow conditions
Snowpack has frozen and stabilized due to cooling. Mostly hard or crusty, softer bases almost gone even in shaded sheltered spots. Even on wind slab areas snow has somewhat bonded. On wind-exposed terrain snow scoured to ground in places, with gliding risk there too.

Forecast weather development
Today mostly cloudy and foggy in many places. Some chance of brief clearing in high mountains. Temperatures mostly below freezing. Weak southwesterly, strengthening slightly afternoon. Tomorrow mid-elevations mostly cloudy, foggy locally. Higher up no fog but some clouds over summits. Mostly weak southwesterly. Warming, zero isotherm around 1900 m. Wednesday initially partly clear, daytime occasionally dense, mainly lenticular cloudiness. Cloud base above summits. Weak to moderate northwesterly. Zero isotherm above 2000 m. Second half of week dry, warmer.

Snow conditions trend
Snowpack will soften, settle and melt at lower elevations due to gradual warming. Initial thaw mild, so no major destabilization. Slight increase in likelihood of slab avalanche on steeper terrain with heavy load, possible wet snow slab from steep grassy slopes. Avalanche danger remains MODERATE level 2 through Wednesday incl., slight increase in mid-elevations only. Next bulletin Wednesday 29.12.2021.

Next issue: Wednesday, 29. 12. 2021

Source: ARSO