Snow conditions 7. 2. 2025

General avalanche danger level - Friday, 7. 2. 2025
The danger is level 2 on the European 5-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind slab, weak layers
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger in the Julian Alps above about 2300 m is MODERATE, level 2, elsewhere LOW, level 1. Especially steeper slopes with wind-blown snow are dangerous, where with greater load you can trigger a slab avalanche. In shady areas, at the interface of loose snow with hard base there is locally a weak layer, under load a smaller snow slab avalanche can be triggered. Wind-exposed locations are scoured; snow drifts are mainly on the northern and eastern sides of ridges and passes and in gullies. Problem are frozen and icy snow surfaces, without the use of appropriate equipment the probability of slipping is high. Below around 2300 m the snowpack is mostly stable, only in lee areas there are occasional smaller snow accumulations which on steep slopes under load can release and cause a fall or slide on hard base.

Snow conditions
The snowpack has slowly transformed over the last two days, with faster transformation on sun-exposed slopes. Yesterday it cooled down, mainly on sun slopes a crust formed. Except for our highest summits, the bottom snow layer has thoroughly refrozen and holds heavy loads - even in drifts and on very steep slopes. On the highest summits there is probably no such hard layer, therefore there with heavy load especially in drifts we can still overload some weak spot deeper in the snowpack. On hard base, in sheltered and shadier locations there is around 20 cm of looser snow locally.

Forecast weather development
Today, Friday, low cloud is present in the mid-mountains up to around 2100 m. In the afternoon the cloud will break up somewhat locally. Higher in the high mountains it will also be partly clear in the afternoon, with occasional increased high cirrus cloud. A weak to moderate south to southwest wind will blow. It will be relatively cold. Temperature at 1500 m and 2500 m around -7 °C. At the end of the week we will come under the influence of a minor weather disturbance. Cloudy and foggy with occasional precipitation. On Saturday the snow line will initially be at around 1100 m, on Sunday it will rise somewhat. On Saturday mainly in the high mountains a moderate southwesterly will blow, the wind will weaken on Sunday. Temperature at 1500 m on Sunday around 2, at 2500 m around -3 °C. In the high mountains of the Julian Alps a total of around 10 cm of snow will fall. Lower down wet snow will fall, so it will not accumulate much. In the area of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps the amounts of precipitation will presumably be very small. The latest forecasts for Monday also show cloudier weather and the possibility of light precipitation. It will cool somewhat.

Tendency of snow conditions
At the end of the week the conditions will not change substantially. In the mid-mountains the snowpack will wetten due to the thaw and also melt a little. Higher up the snowpack will remain frozen. In the high mountains the moderate southwesterly will transport smaller amounts of loose snow and build smaller slabs on exposed spots.

Next issue: Monday, 10. 2. 2025

Source: ARSO