Snow conditions 26.2.2016

AVALANCHE RISK ASSESSMENT



Avalanche danger is mostly 2nd degree above about 1500 m elevation, and 1st degree lower.



The snowpack is settled and consists of several layers. Some are still poorly bonded to each other. The warming in the first half of the week followed by cooling has had a favorable effect on the transformation and stabilization of the snowpack. There is too little new snow to affect avalanche safety conditions.





SNOW CONDITIONS and CURRENT SNOWPACK STATE



On Wednesday, on sun-exposed slopes, the snowpack, especially in the mid-mountains, softened somewhat during the day and refroze at night. From Wednesday to today, there has been occasional light snowfall. In total, a couple to less than 10 cm of snow has fallen, much of which has been blown away by the wind.



In the Julian Alps and western Karawanks, there is up to about 260 cm of snow at 2500 m, 150 to about 220 cm at 1500 m, and 10 to about 40 cm at 1000 m. Elsewhere in our mountains, there is 40 to 120 cm of snow at 1500 m. The snowpack starts at quite varying elevations, but a significant amount of snow is mostly above about 1000 m, and lower in the northwest.





FORECAST WEATHER DEVELOPMENT



Today it will be cloudy. Especially in the morning, there will be occasional light precipitation. It will mostly snow below 500 m elevation, but the amount will be negligible. In the evening, it will partially clear.



Tomorrow, in the morning from the west, it will become cloudy again, and on the west, precipitation will start to appear in the mid-afternoon. The snow line will initially be below 700 m, but will slowly rise.



On Sunday, a cyclone will approach us from the west. It will be cloudy and foggy. Precipitation will temporarily intensify in the west and spread towards central Slovenia, but in the afternoon it will weaken again and retreat to the west. The snow line will mostly be between 900 and 1400 m, initially in some places in the west also possible ice accretion below 1000 m elevation. In the eastern part of our mountains, it will mostly be dry.



In the night to Monday, precipitation will intensify again from the west and spread over all of Slovenia. On Monday afternoon, it will weaken and, except in the west, also stop. The snow line will drop slightly again.





SNOW CONDITION TENDENCY



By tomorrow evening, 5 to less than 10 cm of snow may fall in the western Julian Alps and western Karawanks. On Sunday until evening, the most precipitation will be in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks, where 10 to about 20 cm of snow will fall, elsewhere mostly around 5 cm, and in the far east there will be no significant precipitation. The new snow will bond poorly with the crusty base, only in the mid-mountains where the snow will be wetter, the bond will be better. A south to east wind will blow, transporting snow into wind slabs. Therefore, by Monday morning, the avalanche danger will increase to 3rd degree in the Julian Alps, especially in the western part, and in the western Karawanks. Elsewhere, no major change.

The next report will be issued on MONDAY, 29.2.2016 in the afternoon.



Source: ARSO