Snow conditions 27.4.2015

AVALANCHE RISK ASSESSMENT



Avalanche danger is mostly level 1, above about 2000 m mostly level 2.



The snowpack is generally stable, but due to precipitation the risk is slowly increasing in the western Julian Alps. Higher risk in the high mountains, lower down there is too little snow.



The risk is relatively low. No spontaneous avalanching expected. You may trigger an avalanche on rare steep slopes in the high mountains and especially with significant additional stress.



SNOW CONDITIONS



In the previous days new snow transformed quickly. In the sun the snow melted, in high elevations it became wet and froze overnight. Freezing level was at about 2700 m a.s.l.



In the Julian Alps at 2500 m elevation up to about 160 cm of snow, at 1500 m up to about 10 cm.

Elsewhere in our mountains there is less snow. Significant snow cover mostly reaches up to about 1500 m a.s.l., on southern aspects much higher.



CURRENT STATE OF THE SNOWPACK



The snowpack is mostly well transformed, only in some shady high mountain locations there is still some poorly transformed snow. With possible sunny weather, during the day even in the high mountains snow becomes wet and softens, at night it freezes. Today there will be occasional snowfall mainly in the western Julian Alps and western Karawanks above about 2000 m a.s.l.



FORECAST WEATHER DEVELOPMENT



Today in the eastern part of our mountains it will be fairly sunny and dry. Elsewhere cloudy and foggy with occasional precipitation, more pronounced especially in upper Posočje. Snow line at about 2000 m a.s.l. In the Julian Alps and western Karawanks up to 5 to about 30 cm of snow until night, most in the Bovec area. Moderate southwesterly wind.



Tomorrow cloudy and foggy with precipitation. The snow line will lower slightly to between 1800 and 1900 m a.s.l. In most of our mountains there won't be much precipitation, so we expect only a few centimetres of new snow tomorrow. In the afternoon precipitation will ease, a strong northerly wind will pick up. It will cool down, freezing level will drop to about 1600 m a.s.l. During the night to Wednesday it will clear, then on Wednesday and Thursday sunny and somewhat warmer weather will prevail, but on Thursday afternoon it will start clouding over in the west and towards evening there will be first precipitation in the Julian Alps and the foothills. Southwesterly wind.



SNOW CONDITIONS TREND



New snow especially in the Bovec area today until night will increase the avalanche risk to level 3, which will also apply tomorrow. Especially dangerous will be new snow sliding from steep slopes. Areas with wind-packed snow will also be hazardous, potentially unstable. Elsewhere in our mountains there will be no major changes, as too little precipitation is forecast. Lower down snow will melt, partly due to rain. During the night to Wednesday snow will freeze, in the high mountains it will remain powdery, the northerly wind will redistribute it into wind slabs. On Wednesday in the high mountains of the western half of the Julian Alps the risk will still be elevated, but during the day the new snow will settle and transform quickly due to sunny weather. The risk will decrease.







Next report will be published on Friday, 1.5.2015.



Source: ARSO