Snow conditions 25.4.2016

General avalanche danger level - Monday, 25 April 2016

Danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.

Main problem: newly fallen snow

Danger pattern: vn4 Cooling after warm weather / warming after frost

Danger pattern: vn10 Spring situation

Risk assessment

Danger in high mountains, above around 1800 m above sea level, is MODERATE, level 2, lower down and in the eastern Karawanks, where there is considerably less snow, LOW, level 1. Especially at sites with wind-drifted snow and on steeper slopes, with greater additional stress you can trigger a fresh snow slab avalanche. Lower and towards the east, where there is little snow, and also less new snow, the danger is low.

Snow conditions

At the end of the week up to 20 cm of wet snow fell in the high mountains, considerably less towards the east. The wind drifted the new snow into windslabs. The new snow has probably bonded quite well with the old base. Lower down the snow has melted. In the Julian Alps at 2500 m there is 200 to around 230 cm of snow, at 1500 m from 20 to around 50 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains at 1500 m sun-exposed slopes are bare, in shady gullies there is still up to around 10 cm of snow in places. Significant snow cover starts in gullies at around 1500 m above sea level, on sun slopes even above 1900 m, lower in the Julian Alps, higher elsewhere in our mountains.

Forecast weather development

Today in the morning it will partly clear up. At the same time cumulus clouds will form and summits will occasionally be in clouds. In the afternoon snow showers will form. A weak to moderate wind from northern directions will blow. Tomorrow in the area of the Julian Alps and western Karawanks it will be cloudy already in the morning, precipitation will occur. Cloudiness with precipitation will gradually spread during the day also over the eastern Karawanks, although precipitation will be less likely there. The snow line will rise and in the afternoon will be between 1200 and 1400 m above sea level. A southwesterly will blow. On Wednesday it will be cloudy with frequent precipitation, partly showers and thunder possible too. The snow line will occasionally rise to around 1800 m above sea level. A strengthened southwesterly will blow. In the afternoon from the northeast with influx of colder air from the north the snow line will descend and it may snow also below 700 m above sea level.

Trend of snow conditions

Today the snowline is at around 1600 m above sea level and will rise somewhat more during the day. New snow on sun-exposed locations will thaw and settle, only in shady locations in the high mountains will it mostly remain frozen. Tomorrow the weather in the mountains will be more cloudy, so there will be less influence of the sun. Snow in the high mountains will mostly remain frozen, lower down it will thaw. On Wednesday more precipitation is expected, the snow line will from initial around 1800 m in the afternoon descend below 700 m.



Source: ARSO