Snow conditions 8. 1. 2024

General danger level - Monday, 8 January 2024
Danger is 3rd degree on the European five-point scale - CONSIDERABLE.
Main problem: wind slab, new snow
Danger pattern: Cold weather, unbonded fresh snow with wind

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger in the high mountains, above about 1400 m above sea level, is CONSIDERABLE, but quite significant, 3rd degree, lower down LOW, 1st degree. After abundant snowfall, places with wind-packed snow are particularly dangerous, freshly wind-loaded areas are on western and southern aspects, especially around ridges, saddles and in gullies. You can trigger a slab avalanche already with small load! On individual steep spots, unbonded snow avalanches can also release spontaneously. Weak layers are also present deeper in the snowpack, danger is difficult to recognise without testing snowpack stability. Snow conditions in the high mountains are demanding.

Snow conditions
Abundant precipitation occurred in the mountains at the end of the week. The snow line initially rose to about 1700 m above sea level, but lowered during Saturday. Thus, 40 to 80 cm of snow fell in the high mountains, the most in the area of the Western and Southern Julian Alps and central Karawanks. In the mid-mountains, 20 to 50 cm of snow fell. Below 1000 m it mostly remains bare, only in some alpine valleys does the snow cover reach the valley floor. Weak to moderate wind of variable direction blew during snowfall. Yesterday (Sunday), a strengthened north-easterly wind blew, transporting snow and forming snow drifts. The snowpack mostly sinks deeply, in the mid-mountains initially moist, then increasingly dry snow fell.

Forecast weather development
Today, Monday, mostly cloudy and foggy in places. Summits will be in cloud. Less cloud cover will be in the area of the Western Julian Alps. Minor snow showers will occur. Strengthened northerly to north-easterly wind will blow. It will be cold, temperature until mid-afternoon in mid-mountains and high mountains between -5 and -10 °C, then it will warm up slightly. North-easterly wind will weaken on Tuesday during the day, but a south-easterly will strengthen in the night to Wednesday. Until Wednesday afternoon it will remain mostly cloudy, more sunshine only on Tuesday morning in the Western Julian Alps. On Wednesday afternoon it will clear up, on Thursday clear and warmer.

Tendency of snow conditions
Snow drift formation will slow down. At low air temperatures, the snowpack will stabilise only slowly. Moderately and very steep slopes with wind slab will mainly be dangerous.

Next issue: Thursday, 11 January 2024

Source: ARSO