Snow conditions 6.12.2020

The danger is at level 4 on the European five-level scale - HIGH.

Main problem: wind-blown snow, new snow, wet snow



Risk assessment

The avalanche danger is currently in the high mountains of the Julian Alps CONSIDERABLE, level 3, and will increase during the day to HIGH, level 4. Due to the abundance of new snow, spontaneous medium to large avalanches of wet snow are expected, and in the higher parts of the high mountains also dry snow. During snowfall, a strong southerly wind is also blowing, which builds slabs and wind crusts, especially dangerous are the northern and western slopes, where slab avalanches can release spontaneously. Elsewhere and below about 1800 m above sea level, the avalanche danger is MODERATE, level 2. Steep grassy slopes are particularly dangerous, where wet snow avalanches can be triggered spontaneously due to the soaked snowpack.



Snow conditions

Heavy snowfall in the high mountains since Friday evening. The snow line temporarily rose overnight to Sunday to about 2000 m above sea level. In the high mountains of the western Julian Alps up to 1.5 m of snow has fallen, elsewhere in the Julian high mountains around 1 m. Much less snow fell in the high mountains of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, only about 30 cm, and in the eastern Karawanks there was almost no precipitation. It snowed with strong southerly wind, gusting over 100 km/h at exposed locations. The wind built slabs and wind crusts on northern and western slopes. The snowpack in the higher parts of the high mountains is loose and sinks deeply, but due to the strong wind it is very unevenly distributed at exposed places. Below about 2000 m above sea level, the snowpack is quite moist. The snow accumulation was unfavorable (a large amount of wet snow fell over a layer of dry snow), so spontaneous wet snow avalanches are possible there too. In the mid-mountains, the snow is melting quickly due to the pronounced thaw.



Forecast weather development

Today it will be cloudy and foggy with precipitation, strongest in the Julian Alps. The snow line will drop slightly to around 1500 m, only slightly lower in the Upper Sava Valley, and towards evening the snow line will drop further. We expect about 1 m of new snow above around 1800 m in the Julian Alps, but less precipitation towards the east. In the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, about 30 cm of snow is expected. A strengthened southerly to south-easterly wind will blow. Temperature at 1500 m around 3, at 2500 m -2 °C. On Monday, most of our mountains will be cloudy and foggy with occasional local precipitation, more frequent in the Julian Alps and western and central Karawanks than elsewhere. In the eastern Karawanks and on Pohorje, there may also be shorter periods of sunny weather. The snow line will be between 700 and 900 m above sea level. An additional 5 to 15, locally up to about 25 cm of new snow will fall. A moderate south-westerly wind will blow. Temperature at 1500 m around -1, at 2500 m -7 °C. On Tuesday, heavy snowfall is most likely again, with the snow line dropping in places to the alpine valleys. Again, the most snow is expected in the Julian Alps. A moderate to strong wind from southerly directions will blow.



Trend in snow conditions

The avalanche danger will be HIGH, level 4, in the Julian high mountains on Monday morning, but will decrease slightly during the day due to cooling. However, with possible new heavy snowfall on Tuesday, it will INCREASE again. Due to the unstable and deep snowpack, we advise against visiting the high mountains for a while.



Next issue: Tuesday, 8.12.2020



Source: ARSO