Snow conditions 13.4.2015
13.04.2015
RISK ASSESSMENT
Avalanche danger is mostly level 1, but increases to level 2 during the day due to solar radiation.
The snowpack is generally stable, but softens and becomes somewhat labile in the mid-day and afternoon, especially on sun-exposed slopes.
The risk is low. Only small snow slabs and sloughs can release spontaneously on shady slopes in the mid-day and afternoon. You can trigger an avalanche on very rare steep slopes, especially with greater additional loading, particularly in the mid-day and afternoon when the snowpack becomes wet under solar influence and softens on the surface.
SNOW CONDITIONS
In the mountains it has been mostly clear and warm in recent days. The freezing level was around 2700 m on Saturday, 2400 m on Sunday, and today above 2500 m again. The snowpack has become wet during the day even on sun-exposed high-altitude slopes, freezing at night. Lower down it melted. In shady areas of the highest parts of our mountains, the snow transformed more slowly and remained mostly frozen even during the day.
In the Julian Alps at 2500 m altitude there is up to about 190 cm of snow, at 1500 m up to about 60 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains there is less snow, at 1500 m up to 20 cm. Significant snow cover mostly reaches to about 1300 m altitude, on shady slopes mostly above 1800 m.
CURRENT STATE OF THE SNOWPACK
The snowpack in higher shady areas is mostly crusted over, elsewhere it is mainly hard and in places icy, with snow scoured to the old base on wind-exposed spots. During the day, in sunny weather, snow softens on sun-exposed slopes and freezes at night.
FORECAST WEATHER DEVELOPMENT
Today mostly clear. At night a weakened cold front will graze us. More cloudiness. Tomorrow during the day moderately to mostly cloudy, with possible minor local precipitation. Clearing gradually in the afternoon. Slightly cooler, freezing level temporarily dropping below 2200 m, but warming somewhat by evening. Wednesday sunny with temperatures similar to those at the end of the weekend.
SNOW CONDITION TRENDS
On shady slopes, the snowpack will soften during the day and become conditionally unstable. Therefore, avalanche risk will increase to level 2, especially on sunny slopes. On the night to Tuesday, due to increased cloudiness, the snowpack will not freeze, or only partially and not as distinctly as in a clear night. However, the snowpack will freeze in the high mountains due to cooling. Tomorrow morning the sun will not significantly affect the snowpack state, only in the afternoon will solar influence gradually become somewhat more pronounced again. Tomorrow the snowpack in the high mountains will remain more stable even during the day temporarily.
Next report will be published on Wednesday, 15.4.2015.
Source: ARSO