Západné Tatry

Unstable layers of snow under a wind-blown slab.

Unstable layers of snow under a wind-blown slab.

The avalanche danger level 2 is declared above the forest zone. Due to the cold air and strong winds of the previous days, dangerous layers of square-grained snow are forming in the cover, or there are snowflakes in the cover. These types of snow are not interbedded with the other layers. On top of them there is a puffy snow slab of varying thickness and hardness, which creates instability. It is susceptible to the release of a small to medium avalanche with only a small additional load. Especially on steep slopes and in all orientations. Occasional spontaneous avalanches may occur on leeward steep slopes.

Snow cover is very diverse in the mountains. Wind-blown slabs of varying thickness and hardness alternate with older hard to icy ground. Underneath, soft, square-grained snows have been formed and maintained by the cold air. There may be several such layers in the cover. During the last snowfall period, between 5 and 10 cm of snow fell, but this is very unevenly distributed due to the strong north-westerly winds. Locally, more than 50 cm of snow may be piled up in narrow gullies, in moulins and under rock walls.

It persisted due to the cold air and strong winds. Compiled by: Martin Bešinský