Snow conditions 30.3.2012

This week it was sunny and relatively warm weather.

The snow line was mostly a little above 2500 m. The snow cover in the high mountains softened during the day, refroze at night. Lower down it melted.

Avalanche conditions have hardly changed. The snow cover is mostly covered with a crust that bears human weight, or is consolidated to depth. During the day under the influence of strong sun it softens, especially at lower altitudes the snow is therefore soft and wet during the day. In the gullies of the high mountains, however, the snow remains mostly frozen.

Significant snow cover extends in gullies mostly to altitude around 1100 m, on sun-facing slopes it is bare even above 1700 m. At 1500 m altitude consolidated snow cover is mainly on plateaus and gullies, where there is up to around 20 cm of snow. Above 2000 m in the Julian Alps there is up to around 80 cm of snow.

Snow avalanche danger is level 1. The snow cover is mostly well transformed and stable, somewhat destabilizes during the day especially on sun-facing slopes. Especially at wind-packed spots and in shady locations there is also risk of slides.

Today partly sunny, more cloudiness in the eastern part of our mountains and hills. Tomorrow mostly clear. On Sunday initially cloudy, occasionally light snowing in the mountains. Less than 5 cm of snow may fall. During the day it will clear. It will cool down, the snow line will drop to altitude around 1400 m. The snow cover will refreeze. Avalanche conditions will not change much, avalanche danger will be low, greater the risk of slides.

New report will be issued on Monday, 2.4.2012.



General avalanche danger is level 1 on the European five-level scale.



Source: ARSO