Snow conditions in the mountains 20.2.2017

General avalanche danger level - Monday, 20. 2. 2017

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

Main problem: wind-drifted snow, new snow

Danger pattern: Spring situation

Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger above sea level around 1500 m is MODERATE, 2nd degree, lower down mostly LOW, 1st degree. Especially steep slopes and places with wind-drifted snow are more dangerous. During the day with sunny weather, the snow cover on sun-exposed aspects will thaw and become somewhat more unstable additionally, at night it will refreeze. In shaded aspects, snow remains mostly dry, soft and poorly metamorphosed for now.



Snow conditions

In the night from Friday to Saturday, 5 to 15 cm of snow fell, the snow line mostly did not drop below sea level around 1200 m or no significant amount of snow fell below it. No major drifts occurred during snowfall. It also cooled down, so temperature was mostly below zero. Only on sun-facing slopes did snow thaw somewhat during the day and therefore settle faster. Snow on the surface is still mostly soft, in the mid-mountains especially on sun-exposed aspects it is crusty in places. On wind-exposed aspects, new snow is drifted to the old base in places. There is not much snow in the mountains, the snow cover depth is quite uneven.



Forecast weather development

This afternoon it will slowly clear up, warmer air will start to arrive. By evening, the zero isotherm will rise to sea level around 1600 or 1700 m. Tomorrow it will be moderately to mostly cloudy, somewhat more sunny weather in the afternoon. Moderate west to north-west wind will blow. Zero isotherm will be at sea level around 2200 m. On Wednesday and Thursday it will be cloudier in the western and southern part of the Julian Alps, on Thursday clouds will extend somewhat further into the interior of Slovenia. More clear towards the east. Somewhat stronger south-westerly wind will blow. Minor precipitation will start to appear mainly on Thursday in the west, snow line between 1000 and 1200 m above sea level. On Friday, precipitation will intensify and spread over all of Slovenia. The snow line will lower.



Trend of snow conditions

The snow cover will settle and metamorphose, faster on sun-facing slopes and plateaus. There, under the influence of the sun during the day snow will thaw, at night it will refreeze, but due to wind not necessarily everywhere. The snow cover will thus be somewhat more unstable in the middle of the day and afternoon, then there will be a greater chance that you trigger an avalanche especially on steep, southern slopes and places with wind-drifted snow. Even in shaded aspects, snow will start to metamorphose faster from mid-week onwards with the influx of moister air and below the zero isotherm it may thaw during the day. Lower down, snow will also melt. Avalanche danger will mainly be MODERATE, 2nd degree, in the middle of the day and afternoon, at night and in the morning the snow cover will mostly be more stable. On Friday, avalanche conditions will worsen with precipitation. Above the snow line, new snow will accumulate, lower down rain will wet the snow where any remains.



Next issue: Friday, 24. 2. 2017



Source: ARSO