Snow conditions 29.1.2018

General danger level - Monday, 29. 1. 2018

Danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.

Main problem: wind-blown snow, new snow

Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / thaw after frost



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger above sea level around 1600 m is MODERATE, level 2, lower down SLIGHT, level 1. Especially dangerous are steep slopes, particularly places with wind-blown snow, where especially with greater loading of the snowpack you can trigger a wind-slab avalanche, locally wind-blown snow can be even less stable, spontaneous avalanches, even smaller ones, are slightly probable. Danger is lower at lower elevations, where there is less snow.



Snow conditions

The snowpack is mostly quite stable and firm. In places there are a few centimetres of snow on a firm surface. Especially on northern aspects the snow is still soft in places. There is a lot of wind-blown snow, wind-exposed locations are heavily scoured, firm and also icy. On sun-exposed slopes the snow softens slightly during the day and refreezes at night. Therefore, during the day on sun-exposed slopes the possibility increases that you trigger a wind-slab avalanche or that some small avalanche releases spontaneously.



Forecast weather development

Dry weather will continue until Thursday. Today it will still be quite warm, tomorrow during the day it will already cool somewhat. On Wednesday it will be mostly cloudy with possibility of light precipitation in the southwestern part of the Julian Alps and in the hills of Notranjska and Primorska. Freezing level will drop to around 1200 m above sea level, somewhat higher towards the east.



Trend in snow conditions

The snowpack is slowly transforming. Today and tomorrow the sun on sunlit aspects will affect the snowpack. On sun-exposed slopes the snow will crust during the day and freeze at night. In shaded locations the snow will remain frozen or dry even during the day. Midday and early afternoon until tomorrow on steep sun-exposed slopes with wind-blown snow there will be slightly increased possibility of spontaneous release of small slab avalanches. On Thursday with new precipitation avalanche conditions will change significantly! At places with wind-blown snow we still advise greater caution!



Next publication: Wednesday, 31. 1. 2018



Source: ARSO