Snow conditions in the mountains 6.3.2017

General danger level - Monday, 6 March 2017

Danger is 3rd degree on the European five-level scale - CONSIDERABLE.

Main problem: wind-drifted snow, weak layers

Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after frost



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger above about 1400 m is CONSIDERABLE, 3rd degree, below about 1300 m mostly LOW, 1st degree. Steep slopes and areas with drifted snow on all aspects of ridges are particularly dangerous. There you can trigger a slab avalanche even with minor loading. Spontaneous avalanches are possible on steep slopes, mainly small and medium-sized ones. Due to strong wind, snow is quite wind-scoured on exposed locations.



Snow conditions

At the end of the week it snowed, with snow line fluctuating between 1200 and 1600 m. In the western Julian Alps up to 80 cm of snow fell, elsewhere in the Julian Alps and in the western and central Karawanks and in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps 20 to 50 cm, further east 5 to about 10 cm of snow. In the high mountains the snow was dry, lower down wet and well bonded to the base. Below about 1600 m it also rained intermittently. Wind from western directions created wind slabs and built cornices. The snowpack is soft and loose, with wind creating crust in places that can be relatively hard. Below about 1300 m the snow is water-saturated. The snowpack has some weak layers along which snow can slide.



Forecast weather development

Today variable to mostly cloudy with occasional local precipitation, partly showers. Thunderstorms possible. Locally hail or graupel not excluded. Tomorrow also predominantly variable cloudy weather with occasional local precipitation. Freezing level today at about 1300 m and tomorrow much the same. Precipitation amount until Wednesday morning will not be large, above about 1300 m 5 to max 10 cm snow possible, which will not affect avalanche conditions. Today westerly wind weakening, tomorrow northeasterly wind strengthening during the day. Wind will continue to transport snow into drifts mainly on exposed locations.



Trend in snow conditions

Snow will slowly settle and metamorphose, lower down melt. Snowpack will remain potentially unstable. Especially dangerous are areas with drifted snow where you can trigger slab avalanches with minor loading. On Wednesday warming begins with more sunny weather. THEREFORE THE SNOWPACK WILL BECOME EVEN MORE UNSTABLE DURING THE DAY, but at night, when snow refreezes, it will be less unstable. Crust will form.



Next bulletin: Wednesday, 8 March 2017



Source: ARSO