Snow conditions in the mountains 12.1.2017

General danger level - Thursday, 12. 1. 2017

Danger is level 1 on the European five-level scale - LOW.

Main problem: favorable conditions, fresh snow, wind-blown snow

Danger pattern: Snowfall after a longer period of frost

Danger pattern: Cold weather, fresh snow not bonded with wind



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger is currently still level 1, LOW. The snowpack is stable, hard and partially icy. High risk of slips.



Snow conditions

Currently, avalanche conditions in the mountains are almost unchanged. From this afternoon until tomorrow evening, however, due to precipitation, AVALANCHE CONDITIONS WILL CHANGE FUNDAMENTALLY.



Expected weather development

This afternoon in the hills of Notranjska and northern Primorska, light snow will start. Snow will intensify at night and slowly spread eastward. Especially in the second half of the night, the snow line will rise. It will be highest tomorrow morning, when in the south it may snow up to an altitude of around 1300 m, in the north between 600 and 700 m. Tomorrow afternoon the snow line will gradually drop to the lowlands. In the night to Saturday, precipitation from the northwest will subside. On Sunday and Monday there will be dry and cold weather, with temperatures below zero in the mountains. The amount of snow will depend on altitude and geographical location. Most precipitation will be in western and southwestern Slovenia, least in the northeast. Above about 1200 m above sea level, up to 30 and even about 70 cm of snow can fall in the western half of Slovenia, in the east up to about 30 cm.



Trend of snow conditions

Above the snow line, it will snow on frozen ground, in the high mountains where there is snow, on hard and partially icy snowpack. On grassy and leaf-covered as well as snow-covered ground, the new snow will be poorly bonded to the base. Elsewhere and at lower altitudes, where it will also rain, the bond with the ground will be better. Initially a strong southwesterly wind will blow, which tomorrow afternoon will turn north to northeasterly, and on Saturday a northwesterly. The wind will create drifts and build cornices. Due to low temperatures, the snow will remain relatively light and dry in the coming days and will only slowly settle and transform. Avalanche danger will increase slightly by tomorrow morning in the west, even more by tomorrow evening. Avalanche conditions in the mountains will likely be unfavorable and risky on Saturday and Sunday. Particularly dangerous will be places with wind-blown snow, steeper slopes, and steep grassy slopes even in the mid-mountains and hills where at least 20 cm of snow falls.



Next issue: Friday, 13. 1. 2017



Source: ARSO