Snow conditions 15.1.2014

On Tuesday it snowed in the mountains, below about 1000 m it rained.

Mostly 20 to over 40 cm of snow fell, the most in the western Julian Alps. In some places there is also less new snow, which applies especially to the extreme eastern part of our mountains and altitudes around the snow line. During snowfall, a strong southwesterly wind blew especially in the high mountains, transporting snow into drifts. The new snow mostly fell on a hard base. Especially at altitudes above about 1800 m, it has therefore bonded poorly with the old snow.

The most snow is in the western Julian Alps, where it reaches about 270 cm, elsewhere in the Julians up to about 240, in higher parts of the Karawanks and Kamnik-Savinja Alps locally about 140 cm. At 1500 m it is up to about 120 cm in the Julians, less elsewhere. The snow is light and sinks deeply. There are many new drifts.

Avalanche danger is 3rd degree in areas with consolidated snow cover, only in lower altitudes where it snowed on bare ground it is 1st degree.

The snow cover is potentially unstable and can be triggered by minor additional load. Especially steeper slopes and places with wind-packed snow are dangerous. Spontaneous release of small and medium-sized avalanches from sufficiently steep slopes is also expected.

Today there will be dry and partly clear weather. Freezing level at about 1300 m. Wind will be relatively weak. Tomorrow also dry weather, but gradually it will become more cloudy and foggy especially in the hills of western and northwestern Slovenia. Southwesterly wind will strengthen. Freezing level will rise tomorrow to about 1400 m, on Friday above 1600 m.

The snow cover will slowly settle and bond. Tomorrow the southwesterly will create new drifts and build cornices. Until Friday morning avalanche conditions will not change much, except in the high mountains where due to positive temperatures the snow will be somewhat more stable.

The next snow report will be issued on Friday, 17.1.2014.



General avalanche danger is 3rd degree on the European five-degree scale.



Weather forecast for the mountain world, Wednesday, 15 January 2014, at 6 a.m.:

Today: Today moderately to mostly cloudy, occasionally also partly clear. In the afternoon isolated showers possible. In the high mountains weak southwesterly wind, in the mid-mountains weak northeasterly wind. Temperature at 1500 m from -1, at 2500 m -7 °C.

Tomorrow: Tomorrow partly clear with moderate cloudiness, especially in the west also mostly cloudy. In the evening minor precipitation possible. Strengthened southwesterly wind will start blowing. Temperature at 1500 m from -2 to 2, at 2500 m about -3 °C.



Snow depth:

230 cm Kredarica (2515 m)

120 cm Vogel (1540 m)

17 cm Krvavec (1740 m)

10 cm Rateče (864 m)



Source: ARSO