Avalanche danger level one in the Tatra Mountains: snowfall and wind create traps on steep slopes
The Avalanche Prevention Center of the Mountain Rescue Service has declared the first degree of avalanche danger on the international five-point scale in the High and Western Tatras for areas above 1,800 meters above sea level.
Conditions in the mountains are changing under the influence of a cold front: rain gradually turns into snowfall, and the snow line drops to about 600 meters. In the highlands, about 15 centimeters of fresh snow is expected, and due to the wind, its layer may be much larger in some places.
Very steep slopes, where fresh snow falls on old snow, are considered critical. Under such conditions, small avalanches or snow slides are possible, which can knock people off their feet and cause injuries on rocky and open terrain. The situation is complicated during the day by the wind, which carries snow masses and creates dangerous snowdrifts and snow banks.
Source: Pozor na zradné vrstvy snehu: Vo Vysokých a Západných Tatrách ožíva lavínová hrozba - Koktejl.sk
Context
The avalanche danger assessment in the Slovak mountains is carried out by the Avalanche Prevention Center of the Mountain Rescue Service (Horská záchranná služba) according to the five-level international EAWS scale, publishing daily bulletins on the specialized portal laviny.sk. Even at the first level of danger on very steep and rocky slopes, small layers or snow slides may descend under additional load, which poses a risk of falling in open high-altitude terrain.
In parallel with the worsening weather in the Tatra National Park (TANAP), an annual seasonal closure of high-mountain marked trails has been in effect since November 1, lasting until mid-June. The restriction applies to most passes and peaks above the hut line, so mainly the approaches to high-mountain shelters and lower forest routes remain open for visits during this period.