Snow conditions 25.4.2012

On Monday and Tuesday, the weather in the mountains was mostly cloudy and foggy, only on Pohorje and in the eastern Karawanks was it occasionally sunnier. There were occasional precipitations, partly showers, more frequent in the Julian Alps. There up to this morning 10 to almost 40 cm of snow fell, elsewhere in our mountains only up to about 10 cm. In the high mountains it snowed on a soft base, the previous snow was mostly dry, perhaps a thin crust somewhere. Lower down the base was more transformed and wet.

The strengthened southwesterly wind created wind slabs especially in the high mountains.

The snow line was at sea level altitude around 1800 m.

The continuous snow cover reaches to sea level altitude around 1400 m, but there is little snow there. Snow is mostly soft and light, lower down wet and has already settled. On wind-exposed locations snow is considerably wind-packed, especially on northern and eastern sides of ridges wind slabs are common. In total at sea level 1500 m up to around 40 cm of snow, at 2500 m in the Julian Alps up to around 240 cm. Avalanche danger is mainly in the Julian Alps above around 1700 m 3, lower and elsewhere in our mountains 1 to 2 degrees, depending on sea level altitude. Especially dangerous are steep slopes and places with drifted snow, where avalanche can already be triggered by minor additional stress. Smaller and medium-sized spontaneous avalanches will also release.

Ahead is a period of dry and sunny weather. It will be quite warm. Already today the snow line has risen to sea level altitude around 2200 m and tomorrow already above 3000 m. Due to thawing and influence of strong sun the snow cover will also in high mountains quickly become wet and settle and transform. Initially the snow cover will become more unstable and we can expect avalanches to release spontaneously somewhat more frequently. Tomorrow strengthened southwesterly in high mountains will still carry snow into wind slabs. Until Friday morning avalanche danger will remain increased in high mountains.

New report will be issued on Friday, 27.4.2012.



General avalanche danger is 3 degrees on the European five-level scale.



Source: ARSO