Snow conditions 5. 2. 2024

General danger level - Monday, 5. 2. 2024
The danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind-blown snow, wet snow
Danger pattern: Spring situation

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger is LOW, level 1, but during the day on sun-exposed slopes in the high mountains it INCREASES due to the influence of the sun. The snowpack is mostly stable and well bonded. Therefore, from late morning to late afternoon, a small wet snow avalanche may release from steep slopes or be triggered by a hiker or ski tourer. Especially around ridges and saddles, there are still areas with wind-blown snow where, under heavy loading, a small slab avalanche may be triggered. Numerous areas, especially on north-facing slopes, are hard and icy, so there is a high risk of slipping there.

Snow conditions
On sun-exposed slopes, the snow has sintered during days with sunny weather and frozen at night, on pronounced southern exposures there are increasingly more bare spots. The snowpack is largely well settled. In shady locations, the snow is crusty and mostly refreezes, with some dry snow still present in places. Wind-exposed locations in the high mountains are hard and frozen, scoured to the ground or to the old hard base in places. Old slabs are still present and are mostly well anchored to the base.

Forecast weather development
Today, on Monday, there will be quite dense altostratus cloudiness, thinning out in the afternoon. A light to moderate northwesterly wind will blow. 0 °C is at around 2700 m a.s.l. Tomorrow, in the western and southern Julian Alps, cloudiness with a ceiling at around 1600 m a.s.l. Some clouds may also form elsewhere, higher up there will mainly be some altostratus cloudiness. A light, occasionally moderate westerly wind will blow. The freezing level may be slightly higher. On Wednesday, in the eastern Karawanks and on Pohorje it will be partly clear, with some cloudiness along the ridges here and there. Elsewhere it will be mostly cloudy and foggy, but peaks above around 2100 m may protrude from the cloud layer. A light to moderate westerly wind will blow. The freezing level will be between 1800 and 2300 m a.s.l., slightly higher to the east.

Tendency of snow conditions
Snow and avalanche conditions will not change much. There will be less night-time freezing, and the sun will influence the snowpack mainly today and tomorrow during the day, on Wednesday mostly only in the eastern part of our mountains. The snow will slowly transform even in the high mountains. We expect it to sinter at least somewhat in shady high-mountain locations as well. With slight cooling on Wednesday, the snow will freeze there, with more crust forming. Towards mid-week, avalanche danger will gradually decrease somewhat; due to increased cloudiness, there will no longer be a diurnal cycle (worse conditions midday and in the afternoon).

Next issue: Wednesday, 7. 2. 2024

Source: ARSO