Snow conditions 29.11.2013

We have had a few cold and dry days. The north wind calmed down slowly on Wednesday. The temperature was below zero in the mountains all the time, but it has slowly started warming up in the last few days. Today there is a layer of warm air with temperature around zero between 600 and 1500 m. The snow cover has remained poorly transformed despite relatively sunny weather. The snow has settled somewhat, on wind-exposed sites it is crusty in places.

In the high mountains of the Julian Alps there is 100 to about 140 cm of snow, at 1500 m, and also elsewhere in our mountains, up to about 70 cm.

There are many wind slabs and small avalanches, on wind-exposed sites the snow is heavily wind-blown in places, even to the ground. Significant snow cover extends to about 1200 m above sea level, in the Julians somewhat lower in places. Avalanche danger is 3rd degree in the high mountains above about 1800 m, elsewhere 2nd and rapidly decreasing with the thinning of the snow cover. Mainly dangerous are areas with drifted snow and steep slopes, especially in gullies.

Today it will be sunny and a bit warmer in the elevations during the day. Therefore, snow on sun-facing slopes will transform somewhat faster.

A moderate southwesterly will blow, which will only transport snow into wind slabs on exposed sites. Tomorrow it will be cloudy, mainly in the morning there will be occasional light snow in the Julians and western Karawanks, elsewhere mostly dry. Up to one or two centimeters of snow may fall.

It will cool down somewhat again. A moderate easterly to northeasterly wind will blow, also on Sunday. Sunday will be mostly sunny in the mountains with temperatures below zero. The snow will only settle and transform slowly, avalanche danger will slowly decrease to 2nd degree.

The next snow cover report will be published on Monday, 2.12.2013.



General avalanche danger is considerable, i.e. 3rd degree on the European five-degree scale.



Source: ARSO