Snow conditions in the mountains 17.3.2017

General danger level - Friday, 17. 3. 2017

Danger level is 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.

Main problem: weak layers

Danger pattern: Spring situation



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger is mostly LOW, level 1, in the morning and partly in the forenoon. Towards noon and in the afternoon, snow moistens and softens due to the sun on sun-exposed terrain and the danger increases to MODERATE, level 2. Especially dangerous are steep slopes and places with wind-drifted snow on all sides of ridges. In shaded terrain, and also elsewhere in the morning hours, the snow cover is hard and locally icy, so there is a risk of slipping.



Snow conditions

Mostly sunny weather continues. The freezing level was below 2000 m above sea level in the past days. The snow cover is mostly crusted or refrozen and hard. On wind-exposed terrain it is heavily drifted, locally also relatively hard due to wind. During the day snow softens on sun-exposed terrain. Snow cover depth is very uneven.



Expected weather development

Today sunny, southwesterly wind blowing. Tomorrow predominantly cloudy and mostly dry. Most cloudiness above sea level around 2500 m or even higher, especially in the west also lower. Slightly colder, freezing level around 2200 m above sea level. Westerly to southwesterly wind will still blow. On Sunday moderately to predominantly cloudy, more cloudiness expected in the eastern half of Slovenia. Some peaks will occasionally be in clouds. Weak to moderate westerly to northwesterly wind blowing, which will be stronger in elevations towards the east.



Trend in snow conditions

Today during the day snow will moisten, except in shaded high-mountain terrain, and refreeze at night. In morning and early forenoon hours the snow cover will be hard in many places and partly icy, so also risk of slipping. On Saturday due to quite cloudy weather the sun's influence will be less and no pronounced daytime snow softening is expected. Sunday will be quite similar, but cloudiness especially over the Julian Alps and Karawanks less dense, so the sun's influence nevertheless somewhat greater than on Saturday. On Monday and Tuesday mostly sunny weather again. The snow cover will be relatively stable, only midday and afternoon on sun-facing slopes potentially somewhat labile. You may trigger some avalanche at these places with greater additional loading of the snow cover.



Next issue: Monday, 20. 3. 2017



Source: ARSO