Snow conditions 31.1.2018

General avalanche danger level - Wednesday, 31. 1. 2018

Danger is level 1 on the European five-level scale - LOW.

Main problem: wind slab

Danger pattern: Snowfall after a prolonged cold period

Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger is mostly LOW, level 1. The snowpack is generally stable today. Only on steep slopes with wind slab, a slab avalanche may be triggered with significant additional load.



Snow conditions

The snowpack is quite stable and hard. In places on northern aspects, snow is still soft. There is much wind-drifted snow, wind-exposed locations are scoured, hard and icy. On sun-exposed slopes, snow softens somewhat during possible sunny weather in the day and refreezes at night.



Forecast weather development

Today still dry. In high mountains above sea level around 1700 m, and in eastern Karawanks and Pohorje, partly clear today, cloud tops rising towards evening. Lower cloudy and foggy in places. In hills of Notranjska and northern Primorska and southwestern foothills of Julians occasional light precipitation. Freezing level around 1100 m. Weak to moderate southwesterly wind. Tomorrow everywhere cloudy and foggy in many places. Precipitation spreading gradually from west over eastern part of our mountains and hills. Snow line mostly between 800 and 1200 m above sea level. Moderate to strong southwesterly wind. In night to Friday and Friday morning snow line lowering, Friday morning already to lowlands in many places. Wind turning northeasterly. Precipitation weakening in night to Saturday and retreating slowly southeast, continuing Saturday morning there. Clearing starting from northwest towards evening. Sunday partly clear with occasional increased cloudiness.



Trend in snow conditions

Snowpack mostly hard and icy in places. Wind-exposed locations heavily scoured. Some soft snow still in sheltered northern locations. Snowpack generally stable. TOMORROW CONDITIONS WILL CHANGE RAPIDLY WITH PRECIPITATION. Snow on hard base, new snow bonding poorly. Southwesterly transporting snow into drifts. Below around 1200 m rain in many places, snow starting to accumulate there night to Friday and from Friday morning on. Avalanche conditions will WORSEN. From steeper slopes expect spontaneous release during snowfall, mainly numerous small but also individual medium-sized avalanches. Total new snow 20 to more than 50 cm, depending mainly on elevation, partly location, most precipitation in Julian Alps area.



Next bulletin: Friday, 2. 2. 2018



Source: ARSO