Snow conditions 2. 2. 2024

General danger level - Friday, 2. 2. 2024
Danger is level 1 on the European five-level scale - LOW.
Main problem: windpacked snow
Danger pattern: Spring situation

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger is LOW, level 1, the snowpack is mostly stable and well bonded. Especially around ridges and saddles, there are still areas with windpacked snow where, under heavy load, it is possible to trigger a small slab avalanche. Many areas are hard and icy, hence high risk of slipping.

Snow conditions
On sun-exposed slopes, snow has daily crusted and refrozen at night, on pronounced shady slopes there are increasingly more bare patches. The snow cover is already largely well sun-crust. Overnight, with the passage of a cold front at altitude, it cooled slightly, freezing level around 1500 m a.s.l. Therefore, snow will not crust so pronouncedly. In shaded locations, snow is crusty and mostly sinks, in places there is still some dry snow, occasionally refreezing occurs. Wind-exposed locations are hard and frozen, scoured to the ground or old hard base in places. Old slabs are still present, mostly well bonded to the base.

Forecast weather development
Today, Friday, moderately to mostly cloudy. Weak, moderate northwest wind in high mountains too. Temperature at 1500 m around 0, at 2500 m around -7 °C. Saturday, Sunday, Monday mostly sunny, especially Saturday with considerable cumulus cloudiness. Noticeably warmer. Zero isotherm at altitude from 2500 m to 3200 m. Weak to moderate westerly winds.

Tendency of snow conditions
Snow cover will not change much today. Major changes at week's end with spring-like conditions again. Avalanche release danger will increase due to daytime warming especially above treeline and be MODERATE, level 2 midday and afternoon. As air relatively dry, no major slides expected. In shaded locations snow cover will not change much.

Next issue: Monday, 5. 2. 2024

Source: ARSO