Snow conditions 27.4.2020

Danger is 1st degree on the European 5-level scale - LOW.

Main problem: favourable conditions, new snow, wet snow

Danger pattern: Spring situation



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger is today mostly LOW, 1st degree. The snowpack is mostly stable. Snow freezes at night in the high mountains and softens during the day, but due to variable cloud cover, snowpack melting is no longer as pronounced as it was in previous days.



Snow conditions

The snowpack thins during the day and freezes at night in the high mountains. This process is slower in shady locations in the high mountains. Lower down, snow melts quickly. There are large differences in snowpack depth between sun-exposed and shady slopes. The snow is mostly well transformed and stable.



Forecast weather development

Today variable to mostly cloudy, occasionally foggy in places. Around midday and in the afternoon, some showers will form. Weak to moderate southwesterly wind. Temperature at 1500 m around 8, at 2500 m around 1 °C. Tomorrow similar weather, in the afternoon expect some showers or a thunderstorm especially in the western Karawanks and western and central Julian Alps, less likely elsewhere. Local showers will occur. Moderate southwesterly wind. Temperature at 1500 m around 9, at 2500 m around 2 °C. On Wednesday mostly cloudy and also foggy with frequent precipitation, interspersed with thunderstorms. Snow line at around 2000 m above sea level. More precipitation will fall especially in the Julian Alps area. At 1500 m around 5, at 2500 m around -1 °C. Overnight to Thursday precipitation will subside. Thursday variable cloudy, local showers in the afternoon. Deterioration with precipitation expected also overnight to Friday. Snow line may drop below 1500 m for a short time.



Trend in snow conditions

Snow conditions will remain favourable tomorrow as well. Snow will freeze at night in the high mountains, and thin during the day. Due to variable cloud cover, no melting is expected. Conditions will change rapidly on Wednesday after a longer period of mostly dry weather. It will snow in the high mountains, and around 30 cm of southern snow may fall in the Julian Alps area. Avalanche danger will therefore increase. New precipitation is also expected overnight to Friday, with the snow line dropping below 1500 m.



Next issue: Friday, 1. 5. 2020



Source: ARSO