Snow conditions 29.11.2021

General danger level - Monday, 29.11.2021
Danger is level 3 on the European five-level scale - CONSIDERABLE.
Main problem: new snow, wind slab
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger above about 1800 m is CONSIDERABLE, level 3, lower down mostly LOW, level 1. In high mountains, steeper slopes with much new snow are dangerous, where small and occasional medium-sized dry, poorly bonded snow avalanches can release spontaneously. Lower down, steep grassy slopes are dangerous, where slab avalanches can be triggered with greater snowpack loading. Southwest wind created wind slabs during snowfall, so especially on north and east slopes there are wind slabs that can release even with minor snowpack loading.

Snow conditions
Since Friday, 30 to about 80 cm of snow has fallen in the mountains, mainly depending on elevation, less new snow also in the eastern part of our mountains. Snow is soft, above about 1800 m light, lower denser. With considerable new snow, movement is difficult in most of the mountain world. Many wind slabs, on wind-exposed sites snow is much drifted, sometimes thin crust due to wind.

Forecast weather development
Today clearing. North wind strengthening. Temperatures below zero. Tomorrow mostly sunny. In mid-mountains southwest wind strengthening, higher moderate northwest wind, strengthening somewhat in afternoon. Tomorrow also in mountains and hills temperatures below zero. Wednesday clouding, first in western part of mountains. In eastern Karawanks and on Pohorje partly clear most of the day. Strong to gale-force southwest wind. Afternoon precipitation starting in western and southern Julian Alps and in hills of Notranjska and northern Primorska. Snow line gradually rising to about 1100 m. Thursday cloudy with precipitation, snow line rapidly lowering. North winds, cooling.

Trend in snow conditions
Today new snow slowly settling, north wind transporting it into wind slabs. Similar trend continues tomorrow, so avalanche conditions will SLIGHTLY WORSEN - numerous wind slabs forming that can release with minor snowpack loading. Little spontaneous avalanching, only small dry snow avalanches possible from steep slopes. Wednesday with warming in mid-mountains, possibility of individual slab avalanches from steep grassy slopes increases, as it snowed on bare ground. Higher, southwest wind transporting snow into wind slabs, new wind slabs forming. Wind-exposed sites strongly scoured, possibly to bare ground. Afternoon light snow starting in western mountains and until Friday morning up to 30 to about 50 cm snow expected in mountains. Avalanche danger will therefore increase.

Next issue: Thursday, 2.12.2021

Source: ARSO