Snow conditions 31.12.2018

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

Main problem:

Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / thawing after frost



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger is LOW, 1st degree. The snowpack is stable. It is unlikely that any slab avalanche could be triggered by loading.



Snow conditions

Dry weather continues. Due to repeated thaws and coolings, the snow is stable, often also hard and icy. Mostly it is covered with crust, only in sheltered, northern aspects of the high mountains of the Julian Alps can it still be soft in places.



Forecast weather development

Dry weather will also prevail in the coming days, only during the night from 31 December to 1 January and still on 1 January in the morning there will be transitional light precipitation in places, which will not affect avalanche conditions. During this process, it will cool temporarily in the altitudes, tomorrow, on Tuesday afternoon, warmer air will flow in again and the freezing level will rise temporarily even above 2500 m above sea level. A strengthened north to northwesterly wind will blow. Tomorrow morning or forenoon it will clear up and then until Thursday it will be quite clear and windy weather. On the night to Wednesday it will cool again and on Wednesday and Thursday the temperature will be below zero everywhere except in the lowlands.



Trend in snow conditions

The state of the snowpack will not change much, even the strong northerly wind will not have much influence. The snowpack will remain stable, frozen and often hard and icy, therefore there is a risk of slipping. Avalanche danger will be LOW, 1st degree.



Next publication: Thursday, 3. 1. 2019



Source: ARSO