Snow conditions 15.4.2015

AVALANCHE RISK ASSESSMENT



Avalanche danger is mostly level 1, but increases during the day due to solar radiation to level 2, especially above 2000 m.



The snowpack is generally stable, but softens somewhat and becomes labile in the mid-day and afternoon, especially on sun-exposed aspects. The risk increases in the high mountains, lower down there is already too little snow.



The risk is low. Only small snow slabs and sloughs can release spontaneously on shady slopes mid-day and in the afternoon. You can trigger an avalanche on very rare steep slopes in the high mountains, especially with greater additional loading, particularly mid-day and in the afternoon, when under solar influence the snowpack settles and softens on the surface.



SNOW CONDITIONS



It has been mostly clear in the mountains in recent days. On Tuesday it was temporarily somewhat colder, the freezing level dropped to around 2300 m above sea level. By today it has warmed up. The snowpack has settled during the day even on sun-exposed aspects in the high mountains, but froze overnight. Lower down it melted. In shaded aspects of the highest parts of our mountains, snow remained mostly frozen yesterday.



In the Julian Alps at 2500 m above sea level there is up to around 190 cm of snow, at 1500 m up to around 50 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains there is less snow, at 1500 m up to 20 cm. Significant snowpack extends mostly to around 1300 m above sea level, on shady slopes mostly above 1800 m.



CURRENT STATE OF THE SNOWPACK



The snowpack is mainly hard and partly icy, on wind-exposed sites partly bare. During the day, snow softens on sun-exposed aspects in sunny weather and freezes overnight.



FORECAST WEATHER DEVELOPMENT



Today and tomorrow mostly clear. Freezing level mostly above the highest summits. Today light westerly wind, tomorrow strengthening.



TREND OF SNOW CONDITIONS



The snowpack will soften during the day and become conditionally unstable, especially on sun-exposed aspects. Therefore, especially in the high mountains above around 2000 m, avalanche risk will increase to level 2. Overnight the snowpack will freeze, so in the morning snow will be hard and icy in the high mountains. On Friday morning snow mainly in the western part of our mountains will probably not be frozen due to increased cloud cover.







Next report will be published on Friday, 17.4.2015.



Source: ARSO