Snow conditions 4.12.2023

General danger level - Monday, 4 December 2023
Danger is level 3 on the European five-level scale - CONSIDERABLE.
Main problem: wind slab
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger is mainly in the high mountains of the Julian Alps above about 2200 m CONSIDERABLE, level 3, lower down and elsewhere in the mountains MODERATE, level 2. Especially dangerous are steep slopes and areas with wind-drifted snow, where even a small load can trigger primarily slab avalanches. Wind-exposed locations are heavily scoured and partially iced over, icy spots are also in the mid-mountains where there is little snow cover. There is a risk of slipping there.

Snow conditions
After Saturday's snowfall and strong cooling, the north and north-east wind continued to drift snow. Due to low temperatures, the snowpack is soft and powdery, with some thin crusts only due to wind. In the Julian Alps above about 2200 m, up to 100 cm of snow has fallen, and the amount of snow decreases rapidly with lower altitude. At 1500 m it is only 10 to 30 cm. In the mid-mountains and along the ridges of the high mountains there are also icy spots.

Forecast weather development
Today, after a clear morning, it will gradually become cloudy from the west. The south-westerly wind will strengthen. In the evening, light snow will begin in the west. At night, precipitation will intensify and spread to central Slovenia by morning, the snow line will rise slowly. On the lowlands, black ice and freezing rain are possible in places. Tomorrow it will be cloudy and foggy, precipitation will move east during the day and subside in the west in the afternoon. The snow line will mostly be between 800 and 1200 m in the mountains, the freezing level will temporarily rise to about 1500 m above sea level. The wind will weaken during the day and turn to northerly directions towards evening. On Wednesday it will be mostly cloudy and occasionally foggy in places. Especially on Pohorje there may be occasional light snow. It will be slightly cooler again. On Thursday it will be mostly clear, with some cloudiness mainly on Pohorje. A light to moderate northerly wind will blow. Freezing level around 1000 m above sea level.

Trend in snow conditions
Avalanche danger will only SLOWLY DECREASE. Snow will settle slowly and transform only poorly due to low temperatures. Below about 1500 m, transformation will be somewhat faster due to Tuesday's transient warming. In the high mountains, avalanche danger will remain CONSIDERABLE, level 3, for a few days. Areas with wind-drifted snow and steep slopes remain dangerous. In the mid-mountains, crust will form especially on sun-exposed slopes, higher up the snow will remain soft, except where there is some wind crust. The risk of slipping on icy spots also remains.

Next issue: Thursday, 7 December 2023

Source: ARSO