Snow conditions 4. 4. 2025

General danger level - Friday, 4. 4. 2025
Danger is level 3 on the European five-level scale - CONSIDERABLE.
Main problem: weak layers, wind slab, wet snow
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Risk assessment
Avalanche release danger is above sea level around 1900 m MODERATE, level 2, lower down LOW, level 1. During the day on sun-exposed aspects under solar influence snow will melt and avalanche danger will INCREASE! Especially steeper sun-facing slopes are dangerous, where from late morning to late afternoon a wet snow avalanche can release, and there you can also trigger a slab avalanche more quickly. In shaded aspects this daily cycle is hardly noticeable. Deeper in the snowpack there are still weak layers, which can increase the possibility for an avalanche especially on sun-facing slopes and with heavy snowpack loading - in such a case you can trigger a medium-sized or larger avalanche with a deeper layer of failed snow.

Snow conditions
On Thursday and today mostly sunny weather prevails. Wind has weakened. On sun-facing slopes snow has melted during the day today, below around 1800 m already in previous days, so crust has formed there. In shaded aspects snow is soft, only in mid-mountains also crusty in shade. Lots of slabs and drifts.

Weather development forecast
Today, Friday, sunny. Midday and afternoon some variable cumulus clouds around summits. Light wind of variable direction, in high mountains northerly. Relatively warm. Midday at 1500 m around 7, at 2500 m around -1 °C. Saturday will continue mostly sunny weather with some high cirrus clouds. In the evening cloudiness will start to increase. Light to moderate northerly winds. Midday temperature at 1500 m near 10 °C, at 2500 m around 0 °C. In the night to Sunday clouding over, light precipitation. Sunday morning the snow line may drop to alpine valleys, but precipitation will be relatively light. Sunday shows partly clear weather with variable cumulus cloudiness. Very windy. Moderate to strong northerly to northeasterly wind. Strong cooling. Midday temperature at 1500 m around -5, at 2500 m around -14 °C. Monday continued cold and windy weather.

Tendency of snow conditions
Until Saturday inclusive there will be distinct spring weather and snow and avalanche conditions in the mountains. The snowpack will settle and transform, melting lower down. On sun-facing slopes snow will melt during the day and freeze at night, crust will strengthen. This process will reach high mountains by Saturday. From steep sun-facing slopes from mid-morning onwards small wet snow avalanches may release, the possibility that mountain visitors trigger an avalanche will also increase, especially at locations with wind slab. On shade aspects this process will be much less pronounced, but crust may also form there eventually. Therefore, a typical DAILY CYCLE of avalanche conditions will be characteristic, snow will be more stable in the morning and early afternoon and in shaded aspects, where however deeper weak layers may be preserved, which under heavy snowpack loading could allow snow to slide. With Sunday's cooling snow will freeze and stabilize, avalanche danger will DECREASE, slipperiness danger will INCREASE.

Next issue: Monday, 7. 4. 2025

Source: ARSO