Západné Tatry

Beware of wind-blown snow pillows!

Beware of wind-blown snow pillows!

In the Western and Low Tatras and in the Fatras there is a low avalanche danger (1st degree of the 5-part international scale). The danger here is posed by the leeward sides (NE oriented) of ridges (NE oriented) with steep to extremely steep slopes (above 35°) where strong winds have transported large quantities of snow. At these locations there are snow pillows and slabs whose stability is difficult to estimate. Their loosening is possible with high additional loads (e.g. foot traffic, skier's fall, etc.). In these mountain ranges, the snow cover has stabilised due to the short warming followed by cooling. Avalanche danger increases with altitude.

The height of snow cover in the Fatras is around 10 to 30 cm of snow, in the Low Tatras it is up to 70cm of snow, in the Western Tatras 40-80cm. The snow is very unevenly distributed due to the wind. The ridges are blown into the hard ground. In the lower altitudes below 1300 m above sea level there is no continuous snow cover yet. On the windward sides the snow is blown down to the subsoil, and on the leeward, east-facing slopes there are snow pillows and slabs of unbound snow.

At altitudes below 2000 m a.s.l., a brief warming (Tuesday) and subsequent cooling (Wednesday) have created a hard crust on the snow surface, which has a stabilising effect on the snow profile. However, the snow surface is not supportable for pedestrian movement in most places, it is becoming slushy.

Steady during Thursday, increasing on Friday with snow and wind.