Snow conditions 6. 1. 2025

General avalanche danger level - Monday, 6. 1. 2025
The danger is level 2 on the European 5-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind slab, weak layers
Danger pattern: Areas of thin snow cover surrounded by areas of deep snow cover

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger above 1600 m is MODERATE, level 2. Strong southwest wind is blowing in the mountains, transporting snow in the high mountains. Fresh wind-blown snow has fallen in many places on an unfavourable snow base - frozen or wind-crusted. There is more wind-blown snow near ridges, in gullies, at slope bends. There, under greater load, a smaller slab can release, which can cause a fall. Below 1800 m, the snowpack has become wet due to warming, especially on steep grassy slopes small south-facing snow avalanches are possible.

Snow conditions
There is little snow in the mountains. In the last 24 hours, a few centimetres of snow have fallen in the high mountains, lower down light snow has turned to rain. There is a distinct difference between sun-exposed and shaded slopes. Continuous snow cover on sun-exposed slopes starts above 1800 m, on shaded slopes it reaches down to 1000 m in places. Due to the thaw, snow below 1500 m has become wet and is also melting. The snow is heavily transformed everywhere. On sun-exposed slopes it is slush, on shaded slopes it is wind-crust. The snow surface is reshaped by strong wind, there are many slabs and drifts. In the high mountains, abundant sastrugi is forming, below 2000 m in places an ice crust has formed due to rain.

Forecast weather development
Today, on Monday, it will be cloudy and foggy. Mostly light to moderate precipitation will continue. Snow line between 1500 and 1900 m. Strong southwest wind will persist. In the area of the Julian Alps above about 1800 m, 10 to 20 cm of snow will fall by tomorrow morning, elsewhere about 5 cm. Tomorrow, Tuesday, precipitation will intensify. Especially in the Julian Alps area it will snow more heavily. Snow line initially above 1600 m, in the afternoon it will start to descend. In the evening snow may reach the alpine valleys. Initially moderate to strong southwest wind will blow, weakening somewhat in the afternoon. Total above 1800 m we expect up to 50 cm of snow in the area of Western and Southern Julian Alps, about 30 cm in eastern Julian Alps and Western Karawanks, and about 20 cm in Eastern Karawanks and Kamnik-Savinja Alps. In the night to Wednesday it will clear mainly in the high mountains, lower down some cloudiness will remain. On Wednesday during the day it will cloud over again, summits in fog. Southwest wind will strengthen again and may become strong. From midday onwards light precipitation will start. Snow line will rise to about 1600 m by evening. On Thursday cloudy and foggy weather with abundant precipitation is expected, snow line likely to rise to 1800 m. Amount of precipitation is still uncertain, but in the high mountains considerable snow will probably fall. At the same time moderate to strong southwest wind will blow.

Trend in snow conditions
Snow conditions will change rapidly in the coming days. Especially above the tree line, avalanche danger due to fresh snow and strong wind will INCREASE. On Tuesday during the day in the Julian Alps area above 1800 m it will be CONSIDERABLE, level 3, elsewhere in the high mountains MODERATE, level 2. Weather conditions will be unfavourable all days.

Next issue: Thursday, 9. 1. 2025

Source: ARSO