Snow Conditions 18.1.2016
18.01.2016
AVALANCHE RISK ASSESSMENT
The avalanche danger is moderate, level 2, in the high mountains above about 2100 m elevation, and low, level 1, lower down.
In the high mountains, on steeper slopes and at locations with wind-packed snow, you can trigger an avalanche when loading the snowpack. The snow has not yet stabilized sufficiently. No spontaneous avalanches are expected. Lower down, there is a risk of gliding due to the hard and partly icy surface of the old snowpack.
SNOW CONDITIONS and CURRENT SNOWPACK STATE
At the end of the week, the mountains had dry and cold weather with temperatures below -8 degrees. A north wind was blowing, transporting snow into new drifts on exposed locations. The snowpack was only slowly settling and transforming.
The snowpack depth is very uneven. The most snow is in the high Julian Alps, up to about 130 cm. Elsewhere in the high mountains, there is snow up to about 50 cm or even less. Significant snow cover extends to about 700 m elevation, but there is little snow below about 1500 m. The snow surface is mostly covered with a crust that does not support human weight; in gullies, especially in sheltered areas, it is still soft. There is considerable wind-packed snow; on wind-exposed locations, the snow is quite scoured, sometimes down to bare or old, partly icy ground.
FORECAST WEATHER DEVELOPMENT
Dry weather will continue. Today it will be mostly clear. A relatively light wind will blow, from the north in the morning, from the west in the afternoon.
Tomorrow it will be occasionally moderately cloudy, with a moderate westerly wind. Temperatures will be below zero both today and tomorrow.
On Wednesday it will be moderate, occasionally mostly cloudy in places. More clouds towards evening and in eastern areas. A moderate westerly wind will blow. Slightly warmer.
On Thursday it will be moderate to mostly cloudy, but in the high mountains likely quite clear. An easterly wind will blow. It will cool slightly again.
SNOW CONDITIONS TREND
Due to low temperatures, the snowpack will only slowly settle and transform, so avalanche conditions will not change much by Friday. New drifts will form, and on wind-exposed locations there will be a risk of gliding. Dangerous spots will continue to be primarily areas with wind-packed snow and steeper slopes above about 2000 m elevation; lower down, mainly the risk of gliding.
The next report will be issued on Friday, 22.1.2016 in the morning.
Source: ARSO