Snow conditions 30.3.2018

General danger level - Friday, 30. 3. 2018

Danger is level 3 on the European 5-level scale - CONSIDERABLE.

Main problem: new snow, wet snow, wind slab

Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Danger pattern: Spring situation



Danger assessment

Avalanche danger above about 1300 m elevation is mostly CONSIDERABLE, level 3. Lower down due to smaller snow amounts and already more transformed snow, danger is MODERATE, level 2. Above about 1800 m or perhaps even higher mainly in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks new snow is dangerous, lower down the snowpack is soaked by rain. Especially dangerous are steep slopes and places with wind slab.



Snow conditions

In the last 24 hours above about 1800 m in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks 20 to about 50 cm of snow fell, elsewhere in our mountains 10 to 20 cm. New snow in the high mountains has not bonded to the old snow surface, the southwesterly wind has formed new deposits. Lower down it rained, rain has further soaked the snowpack, the snowpack has also settled. The snowpack above about 1800 m is soft and loose, at wind-exposed locations heavily scoured. Lower down the snow is wet.



Forecast weather evolution

Today and tomorrow mostly cloudy weather with occasional precipitation will prevail. The snow line will be today between 1400 and 1800 m above sea level, tomorrow mostly between 1300 and 1500 m. The focus of precipitation will be in the Julian Alps. Southwesterly wind will blow. On Sunday it will be slightly colder. There will also be occasional sunny periods, in the midday and afternoon cumulus cloudiness and local snow showers will form. Northwesterly wind will blow. On Monday sunny weather.



Trend of snow conditions

Avalanche conditions will deteriorate further due to new precipitation. In the Julian Alps, especially in the western part, up to about 50 cm of snow may fall by Sunday morning, elsewhere 10 to about 30 cm, less towards the east. Especially above about 2000 m the snow will be dry and the wind will transport it into deposits. We expect spontaneous release of numerous small and also medium-sized avalanches from steeper slopes, individual large avalanches are also possible. This mainly applies to the Julian Alps. Lower down, where it will rain, individual wet snow avalanches, also full-depth ones, will release from steeper slopes. Avalanche danger will gradually increase and will be mainly in the Julian Alps from tomorrow onwards HIGH, but elsewhere conditions will also be quite unstable, the least dangerous in the eastern Karawanks.



Next issue: Monday, 2. 4. 2018



Source: ARSO