Snow conditions 13.3.2015
13.03.2015
Avalanche danger is in the high mountains, especially in shady locations, mostly 2nd degree; elsewhere 1st degree.
The snowpack is mostly already quite stable. An avalanche can be triggered only by greater loading of the snowpack, especially on steeper slopes with wind-blown snow, particularly in gullies, and sun-facing slopes are also more unstable in mid-day and early afternoon.
The risk due to wind-blown snow is especially on north-facing slopes still primarily due to poor connection between the old, crusted and partly icy base and the upper layer of newer snow, whereas on sun-facing slopes the snowpack becomes somewhat unstable during the day in places with wind-blown snow due to the influence of the sun or daytime warming. The freezing level was at around 900 m above sea level.
SNOW CONDITIONS
In the mountains it was moderately to mostly cloudy, so the sun did not have much influence on the snowpack, somewhat more in the western part of the Julian Alps. In the mid-mountains on sun-facing slopes and plateaus, the snowpack softened during the day and froze at night, crust strengthened. In the high mountains and shady locations snow remained mostly frozen and dry. The snowpack stabilized further especially on sun-facing slopes.
Snowpack height is quite uneven. At 2500 m a.s.l. in the Julian Alps there is up to around 190 cm of snow, at 1500 m up to around 100 cm, at 1000 m from 10 to around 30 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains there is somewhat less snow.
Significant snowpack extends mostly up to around 1000 m a.s.l., on sun-facing slopes higher.
CURRENT STATE OF SNOWPACK
The snowpack is mostly covered with crust that partially bears human weight. During the day snow softens on sun-facing slopes. In gullies of the high mountains snow is soft, especially in sheltered locations, or covered with wind-formed crust. There are many drifts and slabs, which are especially in shady locations still somewhat labile. Ridges and wind-exposed locations are quite wind-scoured and therefore hard and icy in places, even bare.
FORECAST WEATHER DEVELOPMENT
Today mostly clear, during the day some cloudiness in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps and eastward. Tomorrow and Sunday moderately to mostly cloudy, tomorrow in western Julian Alps and western Karawanks still partly clear. Wind light. Freezing level will rise slowly and on Sunday at around 1500 m a.s.l.
SNOW CONDITION TRENDS
Avalanche danger will not change in most of our mountains. The snowpack will today and partly tomorrow during the day on sun-facing slopes soften and freeze at night and thus stabilize further. In gullies of the high mountains snow conditions will mostly remain unchanged. Especially on wind-exposed locations, in the morning and early afternoon also on sun-facing slopes, there is danger of gliding.
Spontaneous avalanching not expected.
Next report will be published on Monday, 16.3.2015.
Source: ARSO