Snow conditions 6. 3. 2025

General avalanche danger level - Thursday, 6. 3. 2025
Danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: weak layers, wet snow, new snow
Danger pattern: Spring situation

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger above 1700 m is MODERATE, level 2, lower down LOW, level 1. On sun-exposed slopes, the probability of avalanche release increases during the day. Wet loose snow avalanches can be triggered by natural causes or small additional loads. On shady slopes, a persistent hard weak layer hidden under dry snow remains; with large additional load, a deep and extensive dry slab avalanche can be triggered. On steep slopes in particular, measures to reduce additional load are essential. On wind-packed areas, the base is hard and icy, with increased risk of slipping.

Snow conditions
Due to the warm weather of recent days, the snowpack on sun-exposed slopes has been rapidly transforming and melting. Pronounced sun slopes are bare up to 1800 m in places. Snow is crusty, the snowpack surface changes in typical spring daily cycles: freezes in the afternoon, begins to soften in the morning, softest at midday, starts freezing in the afternoon. On the most pronounced sun slopes, the frozen snow bears our weight, on less pronounced ones it still crustily breaks through. On sun slopes, the probability of natural and human-triggered avalanches changes markedly during the day: very low in the morning, slightly increased in the forenoon, highest at midday and in the afternoon. Wet loose snow avalanches can release on their own or due to a skier dislodging the upper softened layers. On shady slopes, snow remains dry, light, very favourable for skiing, without skis it sinks in. Despite apparently favourable conditions, the snowpack is not very stable: 30-50 cm below the surface in much of our high mountains there is a persistent hard weak layer of faceted grains and depth hoar. During movement - skiing or walking - we will mostly not overload these weak layers, but if it happens, the dry slab avalanche can be deep and extensive, large. Such a snowpack structure is not typical for usual winters in our mountains, so mountain visitors have little experience with it. It is essential to take measures to reduce the snowpack load when crossing, especially on steep slopes, near ridges, at gully outlets, under walls.

Forecast weather development
Today, Thursday, and Friday will see similar weather continuing. Saturday will be cloudy, so daily softening of the snowpack on sun slopes will be less pronounced. Cloud cover will be high, so visibility in the mountains will probably still be satisfactory. On the night to Sunday, the southwesterly will strengthen, so on Sunday there may be more mid-level cloudiness, fog in the mountains. It will remain similarly warm, around +5 °C at 1500 m, +2 °C at 2000 m.

Tendency of snow conditions
Until Saturday, the snowpack will transform similarly to recent days. Avalanche danger on sun slopes will increase from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, then decrease again. On Saturday and Sunday, due to cloudy weather, the spring daily cycle will be less pronounced. On shady slopes, the persistent hard weak layer will continue. Until Monday, no major change in snow conditions.

Next issue: Sunday, 9. 3. 2025

Source: ARSO