Snow conditions 25.2.2015

The avalanche danger is mostly 3rd degree, lower down where there is little new snow, 1st degree.



In the mountains, 10 to 30 cm of snow fell, the most in the high mountains of the Julian Alps. An avalanche can be triggered by even minor loading of the snowpack, especially on steeper slopes and in areas with wind-blown snow.



The risk is higher due to the poor bonding between the old, crusty and partially icy base and the new snow.



SNOW CONDITIONS



On Monday, it was mostly dry and quite cloudy. During the day, the southwesterly wind strengthened. Warmer air flowed in, and on Tuesday morning, the snow line was at around 1500 m above sea level. The snow that fell at the end of the week only melted and settled faster below the zero isotherm level, while in the high mountains it remained dry and settled only slightly. On Tuesday it snowed, with the snow line between around 500 and 900 m above sea level. 10 to 30 cm of snow fell, the most in the high mountains of the Julian Alps, and also in the eastern Karawanks and Kamnik-Savinja Alps up to 20 cm fell. It snowed on the relatively soft snow that fell at the end of the week, thickening the unstable layer of snow on the older, crusty base. Small avalanches slid from steep slopes. Today it is cloudy and foggy, with occasional light snow especially in the eastern part of our mountains. The easterly wind is creating wind slabs in exposed locations. The snow line is at around 1100 m above sea level.





The snowpack depth is quite uneven. At 2500 m above sea level in the Julians there is up to around 210 cm of snow, at 1500 m up to around 130 cm, at 1000 m from 40 to around 80 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains there is slightly less snow. Significant snow cover mostly extends to around 800 m above sea level.



CURRENT SNOWPACK STATE



The snowpack is mostly soft and sinks to the old, hard base. There are many wind slabs and slabs that are relatively unstable. Ridges are quite wind-scoured and therefore hard and icy in many places.



FORECAST WEATHER DEVELOPMENT



Today it will be cloudy and foggy, with occasional light snow especially in the eastern part of our mountains. An easterly wind will blow, but it will weaken and no longer create large wind slabs. The snow line will be at around 1000 m or slightly higher above sea level. Tomorrow, the sun will occasionally shine. The wind will be light. The new snow will therefore melt and settle during the day, especially on sun-exposed slopes, and transform, so the layer of new snow will become even more unstable in the middle of the day and early afternoon. In shaded areas, the new snow will transform faster in the mid-mountains, while in the high mountains it will remain dry or frozen.



SNOW CONDITIONS TREND



The avalanche danger will persist in most of our mountains until Friday. The northern slopes will remain dangerous, especially areas with wind-blown snow. On southern slopes, however, the snowpack will become additionally unstable towards noon and early afternoon due to solar influence, when small and individual medium-sized wet new snow avalanches may release spontaneously. Overall, the sun will have a favorable effect on the transformation and stabilization of the snowpack in the longer term.



The next report will be published on Friday, 27.2.2015.



Source: ARSO