2.04.2012
On Friday and Saturday it was mostly clear and relatively warm, on Sunday however it cooled down considerably. The snow line dropped to around 1400 m a.s.l. Minor precipitation did not change the snow cover conditions. Snow has remained frozen since Sunday.
Avalanche conditions have barely changed. The snowpack is mostly consolidated in depth, in shady locations it is mostly covered with a crust that supports human weight. Today snow will thaw during the day only on sun-exposed slopes, from tomorrow also on plateaus.
Consolidated snowpack extends in gullies mostly to around 1100 m a.s.l., on sun-exposed slopes it is bare even above 2000 m. At 1500 m a.s.l. consolidated snowpack is only on plateaus and in gullies, with around 20 cm of snow. Above 2000 m in the Julian Alps up to around 80 cm of snow. Avalanche danger is degree 1. The snowpack is mostly well transformed and stable, slightly destabilizing during the day especially on sun-exposed slopes. In the morning and in shady locations also during the day there is risk of gliding slabs.
Today warmer air will start to arrive at higher elevations. The snow line will rise to around 2000 m a.s.l., on Tuesday to around 2200 m. Today the sun will still decisively influence the snowpack, tomorrow due to increased cloudiness less so. Above around 2000 m snow will remain mostly frozen.
New report will be issued on Wednesday, 4.4.2012.
General avalanche danger is degree 1 on the European five-degree scale.
Source: ARSO