Snow conditions 29.1.2025

General danger level - Wednesday, 29.1.2025
The danger is level 4 on the European five-level scale - HIGH.
Main problem: new snow, wind-drifted snow
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Risk assessment
The avalanche danger due to new snow and wind is above about 2100 m CONSIDERABLE, level 3, and lower down MODERATE, level 2. During precipitation, wet and dry settled and non-settled snow avalanches released spontaneously. In the high mountains, even with minor loading on moderately steep and steep slopes, you can trigger slab avalanches, and spontaneous releases from steep slopes are still possible. Wind slabs are mainly on northern and eastern aspects of ridges and saddles. With cooling, the snowpack below about 2000 m, where it rained, has frozen, so there is a risk of gliding.

Snow conditions
Up to last night, 30 to more than 70 cm of snow fell in the Julian Alps above about 2100 m, falling on a crusty base. Strong south and southwest winds drifted much of it, there are many wind slabs, and cornices have formed. The snow is soft and higher up also light. Lower down, most precipitation fell as rain, towards the end of precipitation rain turned to snow down to about 1000 m, during thunderstorms graupel also fell. Below 2000 m there is up to about 10 cm of snow. Where rain turned to snow and wind drifted it, the old snowpack has frozen and is hard and icy. Elsewhere there is a thin layer of new snow and graupel. The zero isotherm is currently at 1400 m a.s.l.

Forecast weather development
Today, Wednesday, partly clear with variable cloudiness, possible short-term snow showers. Wind will be relatively light. Thursday mostly sunny. West wind will temporarily strengthen in the evening and overnight to Friday. Zero isotherm will rise to about 1800 m. On Friday, clouding gradually from the west, slightly colder air arriving. West wind will weaken in the afternoon. In the evening and overnight to Saturday, some minor precipitation in places, snow line below 1000 m a.s.l. Up to 10 cm of snow may fall, mainly in the Julian Alps and western and central Karawanks.

Trend in snow conditions
In the high mountains, due to low temperatures, snow and avalanche conditions will not change much. Overnight to Friday and Friday morning, wind will transport snow and form small wind slabs, otherwise snow in the high mountains will remain dry and soft. Lower down, the snowpack is relatively stable, only in areas with snow accumulations on steep slopes and in gullies can you trigger small or medium-sized slab avalanches with snowpack loading. Below 2000 m, gliding risk prevails due to frozen and icy base, there are small wind slabs in sheltered spots. In the mid-mountains, snow remains wet or freezes at night and crusts during the day. There the snowpack will quickly become more stable, but crusty, and with prolonged colder weather from the end of the week onwards, snow will also be hard and icy in places in the mid-mountains. In the high mountains, avalanche danger will remain CONSIDERABLE, level 3.

Next issue: Saturday, 1.2.2025

Source: ARSO