Snow conditions 26.1.2015

In the night from Friday to Saturday it snowed mainly in the eastern part of our mountains. Between more than 5 and over 20 cm of snow fell. It snowed onto a crusty base, an east wind blew which drifted the new snow considerably into wind slabs. Elsewhere it was mostly dry. It cooled down, with temperatures below zero even down to the lower hills. The snowpack barely transformed as there was little sun and it did not influence the transformation of the new snow.

At 2500 m elevation there is snow to around 140 cm in the Julian Alps, at 1500 m to around 40 cm, elsewhere to around 30 cm.

The snowpack is soft on the surface. In many places however the snow is heavily wind drifted and especially there it is crusted over, mostly supporting a person, or the snowpack is hard and icy.

There is much sastrugi.

Avalanche danger is 2nd degree in the high mountains of the Julian Alps and western Karawanks, elsewhere 1st degree. Risk of slips is also high.

The snowpack is potentially unstable in many places. An avalanche can be triggered especially on steeper slopes and at wind-drifted snow areas with greater additional stress. Spontaneous releasing is not expected. In many places the snow is icy and crampons and ice axe are essential for touring the mountains.



Until Thursday evening there will be dry and cold weather with temperatures below zero. During the day the snowpack will soften somewhat under the sun on sun-exposed slopes especially in the mid-mountains and freeze overnight. Tomorrow, Tuesday, above around 1500 m a strengthened northerly wind will blow. Locally it will still transport snow and form wind slabs on the south sides of ridges and passes. In the night to Thursday and on Thursday it will be cloudy with snow showers. Until Friday morning 10 to 20 cm of snow is forecast, in the east less than 10 cm. As it will snow onto a hard base, the new snow will bond poorly to it and avalanche risk will increase. Westerly wind will drift snow into wind slabs.

The next report will be published on Friday, 30.1.2015 in the afternoon.



General avalanche danger is 2nd degree on the European five-degree scale.



Source: ARSO