Snow conditions 31. 1. 2025

General avalanche danger level - Friday, 31. 1. 2025
The danger is level 3 on the European 5-level scale - CONSIDERABLE.
Main problem: wind slab
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger is above about 2200 m CONSIDERABLE, level 3, lower down LOW, level 1. Steeper slopes with wind slab are particularly dangerous, where even a small load can trigger a slab avalanche. Slabs are mainly on northern and eastern sides of ridges and saddles. Wind-exposed areas are scoured, below about 2200 m the snow there is frozen and icy, high risk of slipping. Below about 2200 m the snowpack is mostly stable, only in sheltered areas are there occasional small snow accumulations that can release on steep slopes under load and cause a fall or slip.

Snow conditions
In dry and relatively cold weather, the snow that fell in the first half of the week in the high mountains remained dry and soft, heavily scoured, most slabs on northern and eastern sides of ridges and saddles. New snow is more only in the highest parts of our mountains, over 10 cm only above about 2300 m. Lower down, newer snow lies on a hard base, which is fairly stable, deeper down the old snowpack is also wet due to considerable rain. In the mid-mountains, snow is frozen at night and in the morning, melts during the day mainly on sun-exposed slopes. The zero isotherm is currently at 2000 m.

Forecast weather development
Today, Friday, it will gradually become cloudy from the west, slightly colder air will arrive. Westerly wind will weaken in the afternoon. In the evening and overnight to Saturday there will be precipitation, snow line below 1000 m. More precipitation in the Julian Alps area, western Karawanks and hills of northern Primorska and Notranjska. 5 to over 10 cm of snow possible, less in eastern Karawanks and eastern part of Kamnik-Savinja Alps. Weak to moderate easterly wind. Saturday cloudy, mainly in Julian Alps light snow possible in the morning, elsewhere mostly dry. Sunday partly clear and warmer again. Zero isotherm will rise to about 2000 m, but air will be fairly dry. Weak southwesterly in high mountains. Monday dry weather continues, colder again.

Trend in snow conditions
Overnight to Saturday and Saturday morning about 5 to 10 cm of snow expected in mountains, perhaps a bit more in places in Julian Alps. New snow too little to change avalanche conditions much. Fresh snow will cover areas with hard and icy snowpack, making them harder to recognize. Wind not strong but enough to scour fresh snow on ridges. Small deposits forming on western sides of ridges and saddles. In high mountains, above 2200 m or a bit higher, avalanche danger remains CONSIDERABLE, level 3, lower down mostly LOW. Higher up watch steeper slopes where slab avalanche can be triggered at wind slab spots, lower down low likelihood. Risk of slipping remains. Overall, avalanche danger will slowly decrease even in high mountains in coming days.

Next issue: Monday, 3. 2. 2025

Source: ARSO