Snow conditions 30.11.2016
1.12.2016
General avalanche danger level - Wednesday, 30.11.2016
Danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale - MODERATE.
Main problem: wind-drifted snow
Risk assessment
Avalanche risk is mainly in the high mountains of the Julian Alps, above about 2200 m a.s.l., MODERATE, level 2. Elsewhere LOW. Particularly dangerous are places with drifted snow and steep slopes where you can trigger an avalanche. Ridges are quite wind-scoured and icy in places.
Snow conditions
On Monday and Tuesday there was cold and dry weather. Temperature was below zero all day. Today warmer air has started to flow in at higher elevations, presumably the freezing level has risen to around 2000 m a.s.l. The snowpack has been transforming only slowly. On Tuesday, wind was still transporting snow into drifts in the area of the eastern Julian Alps, where it snowed on the night to Monday. Snow remained frozen and dry. Significant snow cover is mostly above about 2300 m, only in the eastern Julian Alps it reaches down to about 1300 m. At 1500 m a.s.l. in the eastern Julian Alps there is about 10 cm of snow, at 2500 m up to 130 cm of snow in the Julian Alps, elsewhere snow on peaks above 2300 m.
Forecast weather development
Dry weather will continue. Until Friday it will warm up a bit more, so that the freezing level on the night to Friday, when the warmest air will be over us, will be around 2400 m a.s.l. In the high mountains, the westerly to northwesterly wind will strengthen somewhat.
Trend in snow conditions
With the warming, the snowpack will transform a bit faster, in places with drifted snow there will initially be a slightly higher chance to trigger a slab avalanche upon loading the snowpack. Danger will mostly be LOW, level 1, only in the area of the eastern Julian Alps MODERATE, level 2. Air will be relatively dry, so snow will mostly remain dry or frozen, only on sun-exposed slopes it will get wet during the day and freeze at night. Crust will strengthen, risk of gliding avalanches will increase somewhat. Avalanche danger will slowly decrease.
General avalanche danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale.
Next issue: Friday, 12. 2. 2016
Source: ARSO