Snow conditions 30.11.2022

General avalanche danger level - Wednesday, 30.11.2022
Danger is level 1 on the European 5-level scale - LOW.
Main problem: wind slab
Danger pattern: Early winter, surface hoar
Danger pattern: Cold weather, fresh snow poorly bonded by wind

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger is LOW everywhere, level 1. There is little snow, only in the high mountains above about 2000 m a bit more. There are some small slabs there, but mostly avalanche danger is low.

Snow conditions
Snow in the high mountains remains dry and soft, the wind has blown it off exposed slopes significantly and small accumulations have formed especially on the western sides of ridges and saddles. In places the base is also slightly icy.

Forecast weather development
In the coming days, it will be cloudy and foggy in the mountains, and relatively windy. No significant precipitation, only in the eastern Karawanks, on Pohorje and in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps up to Friday around 10 cm of snow may fall, locally perhaps a bit more. Initially prevailing winds from the east, on Friday turning to southwest wind, which will blow also on Saturday, on Sunday south wind. Zero isotherm will mostly remain below 1000 m a.s.l., only at the end of the week it will gradually warm up a bit. On Saturday precipitation will gradually spread from southwest to east, also on Sunday occasional precipitation. Snow line will gradually rise a bit, but it will snow in the mountains and hills. By Monday morning up to about 30 cm of snow may fall in the western part of the mountains, eastward 10 to 20 cm, also depending on elevation.

Tendency of snow conditions
Snow and avalanche conditions will not change much until Saturday. There won't be much new snow, it will be dry and the wind will blow it into wind slabs on exposed places. Conditions will still be relatively safe, only in places with wind slab it is possible for a slab to release under load. Crampons are recommended. Avalanche conditions will deteriorate slightly on Saturday and Sunday.

Next issue: Saturday, 3.12.2022

Source: ARSO