Západné Tatry

Beware of wind-blown snow pillows!

Beware of wind-blown snow pillows!

In the Western and Low Tatras and in Mala Fatra there is a low avalanche danger (1st degree of the 5-part international scale). The danger here is posed by the leeward sides of ridges (NE-oriented) with steep to extremely steep slopes (above 35°), where strong winds have transported large amounts of snow. In these places 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 mountains, the snow cover is generally well stabilised.

The height of the snow cover in Mala Fatra is around 10 to 30 cm, 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 above sea level, the snow cover has stabilised due to alternating temperatures above and below freezing. Snowfall (up to 10cm) with strong north-westerly winds is expected on the mountains during the following night and day.

Slightly rising during Friday with snow and wind.