Avalanche hazard in low-mountain part of Eastern Carpathians

The goal of our research is to forecast the possible avalanches in the zones of active deforestation, especially situated close to the infrastructure objects and settlements.
Despite the fact, that in Ukrainian Carpathians snow avalanches were observed by the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Service, some recent events showed us, that it does not fulfill the current situation. The observations are regularly held in alpine and subalpine zones (>1300m. a.s.l.) of mountain ranges, in the same time territories with lower altitudes were not studied.
Due to the active deforestation of the region in recent years, it appeared in new territories with conditions suitable for the appearance of avalanches. Because deforestation is mainly held on territories with lower altitudes, which are often densely settled, it makes such avalanches hazardous for the infrastructure and settlements. One of such avalanches occurred on the slope near village Kruhlyi (Rakhiv District, Zakarpatska oblast') in February 2019, that caused blocking of the international highway with 300 m3 of ice and snow. The avalanche occurred on the deforested area with altitudes between 400 and 480 m a.s.l., inclination around 28⁰ and 150m long. This event changes our vision in avalanche expectancy in the Carpathian Mountains to much lower altitudes. Research is currently being held based on data about deforestation and detecting areas with suitable avalanche properties.
This research was supported by the project “Snow-avalanche activity from Romanian and Ukrainian Eastern Carpathians”, funded by AUF and IFA Romania.