Snow Conditions 17.2.2016

RISK ASSESSMENT



Avalanche danger has increased in most of our mountains due to new snow and wind!! Above about 1800 m altitude, it is level 4, in lower altitudes 2 to 3, depending on altitude.



From Monday to this morning, 20 to 60 cm of new snow has fallen, mainly in the Julian Alps. It snowed with strong wind, so drifts and wind slabs formed. The zero isotherm was on Monday between 1000 and 1200 m, overnight to Wednesday it dropped to about 700 m. New snow is dry and light at higher elevations and poorly bonded to the previous base, below 1200 m it becomes progressively wetter.

The snowpack consists of a large number of layers, some of which are poorly bonded to each other. Above about 1800 m, due to larger amounts of new wind-blown snow, spontaneous triggering of numerous small avalanches is possible, and occasionally a larger one. Even in lower areas, the snowpack is potentially unstable and with greater load, such as a hiker or ski tourer, there is a high probability of triggering an avalanche.





SNOW CONDITIONS and CURRENT SNOWPACK STATE



The snowpack is mostly soft and above about 1000 m powdery. There are many drifts, on wind-exposed slopes the snow is quite wind-packed.



In the Julian Alps and western Karawanks, there is up to 300 cm of snow at 2500 m, at 1500 m from 200 to about 240 cm, at 1000 m from 20 to about 50 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains, at 1500 m from 50 to 110 cm of snow, higher in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps and central Karawanks also over 120 cm. The snowpack starts at quite different elevations, but a significant amount of snow is mostly above about 800 m, in the northwest even lower.





FORECAST WEATHER DEVELOPMENT



On Wednesday it will be cloudy and foggy, with occasional snow, longest in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks. Initially, an easterly wind will blow, turning to southwesterly in the afternoon. Temperature at 1500 m around -1, at 2500 m around -8°C.

On Thursday, mostly clear in the western Julian Alps. Elsewhere more clouds, in the eastern Karawanks and Pohorje occasionally foggy. There will be precipitation, above about 1300 m snow. Weak southerly wind. Temperature at 1500 m around 2, at 2500 m around -4°C.

On Friday morning partly clear in places, during the day higher peaks in clouds, occasionally light snow possible. On Saturday partly clear with occasional increased cloudiness.





SNOW CONDITIONS TREND



The snowpack will slowly settle and transform. Temporarily warmer, already on Thursday the zero isotherm will rise to 1800 m, which will further increase the instability of the snowpack. In the mid-mountains, where the snowpack will be wet, the new snow will bond faster to the base, in the high mountains it will take some time for the avalanche danger situation to gradually improve.



Next report will be issued on FRIDAY, 19.2.2016 in the afternoon.



Source: ARSO