Snow conditions 28.3.2014

The last two days have been predominantly cloudy and mostly dry weather. Locally, a few cm of snow fell with occasional light snowfall. The temperature in the mountains was below zero on Wednesday, but on Thursday it warmed up a bit and by this morning the freezing level had risen above 1600 m above sea level. The snow cover has been transforming and settling only slowly.



Significant snow cover extends to about 1200 m above sea level, in shady areas to about 800 m. The snow depth is quite uneven. Above about 2000 m in the Julian Alps there is between 400 and about 600 cm of snow, at 1500 m up to about 280 cm. Elsewhere at 1500 m there is 50 to 140 cm of snow, more in the western Karawanks. The snow cover is mostly soft in the high mountains, lower down it is frozen or softened during the day.

Avalanche danger is mostly level 2, in elevations where there is little snow left at level 1.

Especially in the high mountains, above about 1800 m above sea level, you can trigger an avalanche with additional stress on the snow cover mainly at wind-packed snow spots and on steep slopes. Lower down the snow cover is more stable. The danger increases especially around midday and in the afternoon on sun-exposed slopes, where small south-facing snow slabs may release spontaneously at first.



Until Monday, it will be sunny and gradually warmer weather. The freezing level will rise above 2500 m tomorrow, on Sunday it will be at the height of our highest peaks. The snow cover will transform and settle more rapidly, and melt lower down. Snow will freeze at night, but soften during the day. The snow cover will gradually stabilize even in the high mountains.

The next snow report will be issued on Monday, 31.3.2014 in the morning.



The general avalanche danger is level 3 on the European five-level scale.



Source: ARSO