Snow conditions 27.4.2016

General danger level - Wednesday, 27. 4. 2016

Danger is level 3 on the European five-level scale - CONSIDERABLE.

Main problem: fresh snow

Danger pattern: vn6 Cold weather, poorly bonded fresh snow with wind

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

Risk assessment

Danger in the mountains, especially in the Julian Alps already above about 1400 m above sea level due to larger amounts of new snow is CONSIDERABLE, level 3, and will increase further by Thursday and temporarily become HIGH, level 4. Especially in places with drifted snow and on steeper slopes, you can trigger a fresh snow avalanche even with minor additional stress. On sufficiently steep slopes and in gullies, avalanches can also release spontaneously. In the eastern Karawanks and Kamnik-Savinja Alps, where there will be less new snow, the danger is MODERATE, level 2. Lower and towards the east, where there is little snow and also less new snow, the danger is considerably lower.

Snow conditions

CONDITIONS in the mountains have CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY !! By Wednesday morning, up to 45 cm of wet snow fell in the wider area of the Julian Alps above about 1500 m, which due to relatively low temperatures is quite dry and only initially still bonded to the base. Elsewhere there is considerably less new snow. The wind drifted the new snow into drifts, cornices formed. In the Julian Alps at 2500 m there is from 200 to about 250 cm of snow, at 1500 m from 50 to about 90 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains at 1500 m on sun-facing slopes it is still bare for now, in shade areas there is up to about 10 cm of snow in places. With the passage of the front on Wednesday afternoon and night, another 30 to about 40 cm of new snow could fall in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks above about 1400 m! Elsewhere 15 to 30 cm. The consolidated snowpack will extend lower due to new snowfall - possibly also below 1000 m.

Forecast weather development

On Wednesday it will be cloudy and foggy with precipitation, which will intensify further in the afternoon. The snow line will drop to the valleys. Initially southwest wind will still blow, which will turn to northern direction during midday and afternoon. Temperature at 1500 m will be around -3 in the afternoon, at 2500 m -9 degrees C. On Thursday mostly cloudy and foggy, occasional precipitation. The snow line will rise slowly and in the afternoon above 1000 m above sea level. Weak to moderate southwest wind will blow, in the morning and forenoon in mid-mountains southeast wind. Temperature at 1500 m around 0 in the afternoon, at 2500 m -5 degrees C.

Trend of snow conditions

Today the freezing level is at about 1600 m above sea level and will drop rapidly to the valleys in the afternoon and evening. The new snow will settle only slowly, due to the forecasted cloudy weather on Thursday and only slow warming and settling of snow, conditions will be particularly unfavorable especially in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks, walls and also numerous sufficiently steep slopes may spontaneously shed snow and avalanche. On Friday and Saturday there may be some sun in places, temporarily it will warm up a bit, the snowpack will settle below 2000 m, even lower the snow will thaw. On Sunday we expect again some more precipitation, snow line at about 1400 m.



Source: ARSO