Vicentine Prealps

Locally heavy snowfall and strong winds will lead to a significant increase in avalanche danger

Locally heavy snowfall and strong winds will lead to a significant increase in avalanche danger

From today evening, worsening weather with locally heavy snowfall above 1200-1400 m in the Dolomites and above 1500-1700 m in the Pre-Alps. Fresh snowfall expected until Saturday 24 February: Dolomites at 2000 m 35-60 cm; Pre-Alps over 1500 m 50-70 cm. Locally, contributions may be even higher. New snow will fall on a smooth, hard snowpack surface, and dry loose snow avalanches will be possible at all exposures. Avalanches in some cases can reach even large sizes and locally affect man-made areas. Avalanches expected in man-made areas may affect sites usually exposed to avalanche danger in a localised manner, and in particular high-altitude communication routes and Dolomite passes. Winds at high altitudes will be strong and will redistribute the loose snow, creating new deposits of windrift snow. New snow drifts can be released even with a weak overload (e.g. single skier) and the resulting slab avalanches can also be large. From Friday, the avalanche danger for the Dolomites and the Pre-Alps is estimated at grade 3.

Fresh snow falls on a generally stable snowpack with a surface-bearing crust at all exposures. On shaded slopes, the snowpack still retains a winter structure, but faceted crystals are rounding off.