Snow conditions 7.12.2023

General danger level - Thursday, 7 December 2023
Danger level is 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind-drifted snow, weak layers
Danger pattern: cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger is above about 1800 m altitude MODERATE, level 2, lower down LOW, level 1. Steep slopes and places with wind-drifted snow are especially dangerous, where smaller or medium-sized slab avalanches can be triggered by minor loading. Wind-exposed locations are heavily scoured and icy in places, icy spots are also in the mid-mountain range where snow cover is thin. Risk of slipping there.

Snow conditions
In cold weather the snowpack remained dry and soft, on exposed locations in the high mountains the north wind created some new drifts. Snow has settled somewhat especially in the mid-mountain range. Surface is crusted in places mainly due to wind effect. Where it snowed on hard base, there is a weak layer in the snowpack (applies only to high mountains, lower there is too little snow), at low temperatures a depth hoar layer may also form in the snowpack.

Forecast weather development
Today mostly clear, some cloudiness during the day especially in eastern Karawanks. Light to moderate northwesterly wind. 0°C isotherm at about 1300 m asl. Tomorrow, Friday, partly clear in the morning and forenoon, then clouding over. Especially in the foothills of the Julian Alps foggy. Light to moderate southwesterly wind. Freezing level at similar altitude as today, perhaps slightly lower. Saturday night light snow starting from west, precipitation band moving east overnight and Saturday morning. Precipitation amount negligible. Saturday afternoon clearing from west. Saturday daytime light northerly wind. Temporary slight cooling, but towards evening slightly warmer air arriving in heights. Sunday cloudy. Initially minor precipitation ceasing forenoon. Afternoon clearing. Snowfall limit gradually rising to about 1400 m asl, but precipitation amount small.

Trend in snow conditions
Avalanche danger will not change much in the next three days, snow conditions neither. Few centimetres of new snow Saturday. From Sunday onwards due to warming snow will first moisten somewhat in mid-mountain range, Monday also in high mountains where more snow. Expect especially on MONDAY avalanche danger to INCREASE, in high mountains CONSIDERABLE, level 3, lower MODERATE, level 2. Places with wind-drifted snow and steep slopes remain dangerous. Risk of slipping on icy spots remains.

Next issue: Friday, 8 December 2023

Source: ARSO