Snow conditions in the Tržič Municipality area 14.1.2022

Avalanche Bulletin 23, Friday 14.1.2022 at 8:30 for the Tržič Municipality area.

General avalanche danger in the Tržič Municipality area above 1800 m a.s.l. is 3rd degree on the five-level European scale, lower down it is 2nd degree on the five-level European scale. In the afternoon, due to solar radiation, the danger level of avalanche release will increase on sun-facing or shaded slopes even in the mid-mountain range!

The wind has been transporting snow into wind slabs and building wind slabs over the past two days. New wind slabs have formed, with critical layers beneath them. The snowpack remained loose on shaded aspects due to low air temperatures. On sun-facing aspects, transformation was somewhat faster due to solar radiation and slightly higher daytime temperatures. Even on these sides, the wind continued to transport snow into wind slabs and build them. Summits and ridges are wind-scoured to icy or bare ground. Northern slopes are also partially scoured to the ground or old snowpack. Yesterday, a few small sloughs occurred from sufficiently steep northern slopes.

Today in the Tržič mountains it will be clear and warm. Air temperature at 1500 m will be around +7°C, with moderate northerly wind up to 25 km/h. At 2000 m, daytime air temperature will be around +5°C, with northerly wind up to 40 km/h. Tomorrow and Sunday will also be warm and sunny.

The moderate wind blowing today and tomorrow will continue to transport snow and build wind slabs on shaded aspects below rocks and in narrow gullies. Weak layers will form beneath the wind slabs here. On sufficiently steep slopes and with significant additional load, you may trigger a wind slab avalanche. On shaded high-mountain aspects, higher air temperatures will affect snow transformation, but less so than on sun-facing aspects, where transformation will be better due to solar radiation and higher temperatures. During the day, the snowpack on sun-facing aspects will wet up, and freeze at night. A crust will form. Spontaneous sloughing of surface avalanches on sun-facing aspects is expected, especially on grass-covered slopes. Due to slightly higher temperatures in the high mountains, small spontaneous dry loose snow avalanches or sloughs from sufficiently steep shaded slopes may occur.
Today, tomorrow, and Sunday, we advise against staying or crossing sun-facing slopes, especially where avalanches are frequent. Spontaneous sloughing of surface avalanches is expected. In the high mountains, wind-deposited snow is present in narrow gullies and below rocks. Be cautious in these areas.

Source: https://www.zvsp.si