Snow conditions 4. 3. 2024

General avalanche danger level - Monday, 4 March 2024
Danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind slab, wet snow
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger above about 1500 m is MODERATE, level 2, lower down LOW, level 1. Steep slopes with wind slab are particularly dangerous, where a slab avalanche can be triggered by a significant increase in load. Individual wet snow avalanches are also possible, more likely below about 2100 m.

Snow conditions
At the end of the week, it was mostly cloudy and foggy, with local precipitation occurring. The snow line was mostly above 1500 m. In the high mountains, 10 to 20 cm of snow fell. Especially during the night to Sunday, a strong southwesterly wind blew, transporting fresh snow and building small snow deposits. The older snowpack has mostly bonded well, but there are still weak layers in the snowpack where avalanches can form, especially where there is less new snow. In the mid-mountains, the snowpack was moist, slowly settling and melting in places.

Forecast weather development
Today, Monday, it will initially be cloudy and foggy. Light precipitation is possible. The zero isotherm will be around 2000 m. In the afternoon, clouds will break up, with possible showers. Initially a light southerly wind, in the afternoon a light northeasterly. Temperature at 1500 m around 2, at 2500 m around -3 °C. Overnight to Tuesday, it will clear. Tuesday morning and forenoon still partly clear, afternoon clouding over, foggy in places. Smaller local showers will occur. Wind light and variable. Temperature at 1500 m around 3, at 2500 m around -4 °C. Overnight to Wednesday, precipitation is expected to intensify in the western mountains. Wednesday cloudy and foggy with frequent precipitation. The weather forecast is still uncertain. The snow line will drop to around 1200 m. Mostly light variable wind, overnight to Thursday light to moderate northeasterly. Temperature at 1500 m around 0, at 2500 m around -5 °C. Thursday looks dry with some sun. Temporarily slightly cooler.

Trend in snow conditions
Overnight to Tuesday, the snowpack will freeze with clearing skies. Tomorrow forenoon, the snowpack may wet in places with more sunshine, a wet snow avalanche may occur. Tomorrow afternoon, a few cm of snow may fall in the high mountains with showers. More precipitation expected overnight to Wednesday and Wednesday daytime, when 10 to 30 cm may fall in the high mountains, around 10 cm in the mid-mountains. Precipitation amount forecast still uncertain. Snow with light wind. Avalanche danger in the high mountains expected to INCREASE slightly.

Next issue: Thursday, 7 March 2024

Source: ARSO